1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
a crabby old dog who snapped at passersby
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restless
given to complaining a lot
a bunch of crabby kids who don't want to do any work
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crabby
Take the Lishman’s Deli sketch, in which Murphy’s Gumby character — the green clay stop-motion figure reimagined as a crabby Borscht Belt has-been — trades insults with a gang of alter kockers played by Crystal, Guest and Short, who reminisce and argue about sandwiches named for celebrities.
—
James Poniewozik, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2025
This time, however, she is joined by a crew consisting of an enthusiastic young engineer, a crabby senior farmer and a history-preserving storyteller.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 26 Nov. 2024
What Kate will not thank him for is being a big crabby baby about her relationship with Dennison.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
There were fish living in the ice and thousands of mating pairs of these giant crustaceans dropping out of crevices on top of us, like giant crabby spiders.
—Jill Heinerth, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for crabby
James Poniewozik, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2025
This time, however, she is joined by a crew consisting of an enthusiastic young engineer, a crabby senior farmer and a history-preserving storyteller.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 26 Nov. 2024
What Kate will not thank him for is being a big crabby baby about her relationship with Dennison.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
There were fish living in the ice and thousands of mating pairs of these giant crustaceans dropping out of crevices on top of us, like giant crabby spiders.
—Jill Heinerth, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for crabby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crabby
Adjective
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However, such symptoms are hard to attribute to vaccines because infants can be irritable or fussy regardless of vaccination.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
19 Sep. 2025
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When the caffeine wears off, children may have a headache and feel irritable or tired.—
Dr. Mark Corkins,
Boston Herald,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The company’s movement language—restless, precise, elastic—has built a home for stories that were long told elsewhere, or not at all.—
Skylar Mitchell,
Essence,
29 Sep. 2025
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Their deeper role is to host inquietud—the restless desire to know more, to question assumptions, to look for connections across disciplines and geographies.—
Javier Garcia del Moral
September 26,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Townsend will play Norm Stinson, an excellent (and grouchy) veteran basketball coach who knows how to get the best out of his teams, but not always how to communicate.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
25 Sep. 2025
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Leading up to kickoff of Belichick’s debut at Chapel Hill, college football, this community and certainly the TV networks were thrilled with the prospect of this grouchy old man turning an irrelevant football team into something worth watching.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Twenty-six years after Home Improvement wrapped, the actress joined her former cast mates Richard Karn and Patricia Richardson in a scene in which Allen's grumpy protagonist Matt Parker begrudgingly attends a grief support group frequented by Charlotte (Nancy Travis).—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Oct. 2025
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Mika takes a job teaching three young witches, and getting to know a grumpy and overprotective librarian, Jamie, who is also in charge of their care.—
Audrey Goldberg Ruoff,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Barnes is displeased with how the events have ultimately unfolded.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
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The green-and-gold faithful were again displeased as UTSA took over in Rams territory.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Reeves is a cranky, deadpanning Estragon, wallowing in frustration as his gangly limbs swing, unwillingly turning to his friend but also welcoming the help, the hugs.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Sep. 2025
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But the election highlights a San Francisco in flux and a still cranky, even emboldened electorate as leaders prepare to make tough decisions about the city’s future.—
Janie Har,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Trying to Kill Each Other' And Walken is marvelous — querulous, petty, cruel — as the Emperor.—
Tom Gliatto,
Peoplemag,
29 Feb. 2024
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Instead, Gerwig and Baumbach promote querulous sloganeering.—
Armond White,
National Review,
19 July 2023
Adjective
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Now, Darvish will get to pitch in front of a stadium of screaming, hopeful, nervous Cubs fans.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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If presidents are stars on the stage of world history, vice presidents are nervous understudies hidden away behind the scenes.—
Book Marks
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crabby. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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