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
In a video shared on X, Hargitay could be seen craning her head while trying to look around a referee.
—
Lara Walsh, InStyle, 11 June 2026
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
Lara Walsh, InStyle, 11 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for craning
Verb
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Video taken by a member of the audience shows Swift rising from her seat and lifting her arms high above her head to give an enthusiastic standing ovation during the curtain call.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
-
The first touched down in Lady Lake, lifting roofs off homes and overturning mobile homes.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
So, climbing one rung higher and losing to a different team will lead to raising the Cup?—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
11 June 2026
-
Elon Musk's mega-conglomerate SpaceX made history on Thursday, raising $75 billion in the biggest initial public offering on record.—
John Ruwitch,
NPR,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
None of this—erasing a 29-point deficit, these Knicks being one game away from hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy—was supposed to happen.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
11 June 2026
-
But the Rams are not hoisting the Lombardi Trophy just yet, Lake said.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
As the restaurant evolved — eventually elevating its experience and moving downtown — so did its beverage program.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
-
Hot temperatures and wind gusts are elevating wildfire risks in parts of Southwest Idaho and the south-central part of the state, according to the National Weather Service.—
Don Sweeney,
Idaho Statesman,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Craning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/craning. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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