as in lifting
to move from a lower to a higher place or position
craned her head to see the roof
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Recent Examples of craning
With New York on the verge of history, and Wemby seemingly making history of his own every night, millions are craning their necks to watch.
—
Devon Henderson, New York Times, 5 June 2026
Beyond the glass, across a small rocky strip of water, the zoo’s eldest giraffe is craning his impossibly long, elegant neck up to a hanging basket of foliage and methodically stripping the branches of their bark.
—Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 11 May 2026
Joshua appeared as surprised as any of us, craning around as if the words had been blurted by someone on the periphery.
—Chang-Rae Lee, New Yorker, 3 May 2026
This flexible holder attaches easily to your seatback tray table and adjusts to multiple angles, allowing for hands-free viewing without craning your neck.
—Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2026
Crowds of bird fans carrying smartphones and cameras are craning daily for a look at its silly walk, while mostly maintaining a respectful distance.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Necks craning to the back of the hall, a hush fell over the small parochial church of Santa María Trinitá on the African island of São Tomé.
—Literary Hub, 19 Mar. 2026
At large venues like the Paramount, late entries can mean watching from the upper balcony, craning toward the screen.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
This color is eye-catching, turning heads and craning the necks of everyone from the elderly to state police.
—Jesus R. Garcia, Houston Chronicle, 4 Jan. 2026
Devon Henderson, New York Times, 5 June 2026
Beyond the glass, across a small rocky strip of water, the zoo’s eldest giraffe is craning his impossibly long, elegant neck up to a hanging basket of foliage and methodically stripping the branches of their bark.
—Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 11 May 2026
Joshua appeared as surprised as any of us, craning around as if the words had been blurted by someone on the periphery.
—Chang-Rae Lee, New Yorker, 3 May 2026
This flexible holder attaches easily to your seatback tray table and adjusts to multiple angles, allowing for hands-free viewing without craning your neck.
—Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2026
Crowds of bird fans carrying smartphones and cameras are craning daily for a look at its silly walk, while mostly maintaining a respectful distance.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Necks craning to the back of the hall, a hush fell over the small parochial church of Santa María Trinitá on the African island of São Tomé.
—Literary Hub, 19 Mar. 2026
At large venues like the Paramount, late entries can mean watching from the upper balcony, craning toward the screen.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
This color is eye-catching, turning heads and craning the necks of everyone from the elderly to state police.
—Jesus R. Garcia, Houston Chronicle, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for craning
Verb
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Defending champion Argentina’s quality is stronger since lifting the trophy in Qatar.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
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While the Blues entered the 2025/26 campaign with high hopes after lifting the Club World Cup, the team failed to live up to expectations, floundering in the Premier League and going through three different managers in the space of only a few months.—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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With the rebuilding ongoing Hart said Saturday’s gala is not just about raising funds, but also awareness.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
-
Walking is exercise proven to help ward off anxiety, depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s, while improving self-esteem and raising dopamine levels.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
Verb
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In fairness, the NBA’s young stars usually experience playoff failure before hoisting a championship trophy.—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
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Thompson spent 13 seasons alongside Curry for the Warriors, hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy four times together before departing for Dallas.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The elastic-waist pants and Dolman-sleeve tee make for a true loungewear cut, but adding a designer-caliber shoulder bag and sleek sandals is the secret to instantly elevating the look for out-of-the-house activities.—
Olivia Cigliano,
InStyle,
6 June 2026
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For the occasion, Holmes stuck to her usual relaxed street style, elevating the look with Chanel’s cap-toe pumps.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Craning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/craning. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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