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
Attend the Fiddler Crab Festival Every February over Presidents’ Day weekend, the three-day Fiddler Crab Festival brings crabby fun and community pride to Steinhatchee.
—
Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 5 July 2025
Her dissatisfaction with her crabby old husband drives her into the same state of amorous turmoil that Vanya and Sonya find themselves in.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025
Read the full Aries Daily Horoscope Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
In a crabby mood?
—USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for crabby
Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 5 July 2025
Her dissatisfaction with her crabby old husband drives her into the same state of amorous turmoil that Vanya and Sonya find themselves in.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025
Read the full Aries Daily Horoscope Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
In a crabby mood?
—USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for crabby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crabby
Adjective
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That’s because the Moon is at odds with Mars today and everyone is irritable.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
-
What are the symptoms of irritable bowel disease?—
Lindy Segal,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The new big rig essentially picks up where those two leave off, giving restless travelers a vessel for achieving their most ambitious dream adventures – an off-road RV that's bigger, more capable and more self-sufficient than anything Winnebago offers currently, or has sold previously.—
C.C. Weiss
May 17,
New Atlas,
17 May 2026
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Feeling restless in your current environment?—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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That Utah rideshare driver, however, was justifiable more grouchy.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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Flockhart is equally supportive of Ford, having expressed her joy at watching her husband’s performance as the grouchy, oft-deadpan therapist.—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The fantasy comedy twisted the types of fairy tales that Disney was known for with cruder and sillier humor and centered a grumpy ogre journeying to save a princess.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
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Phil suggested Rick might just be a grumpy old man.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Such displeased denizens might appreciate Bar Snack, a cocktail lounge that was recently named one of the country’s best new bars.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
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Reunion host Andy Cohen was displeased in a Threads post.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Their characters, Tova, a 70-year-old widow, and Cameron, a 30-something searching for his father, become unlikely friends thanks, in part to a cranky and wise octopus named Marcellus (Alfred Molina) who lives in the aquarium where Tova cleans at night.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 May 2026
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Elon Musk seems tired and cranky.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The American right, too, is in a shifting, querulous state.—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
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In fact, the B-2 bombers were still in the air with hours to go before reaching home when Van Hollen issued his querulous statement.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Altman seemed slightly nervous as the cross-examination got underway.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
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Suddenly, and very publicly, Russian officials appeared nervous, afraid that their parade would be spoiled.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crabby. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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