1
as in crab
an irritable and complaining person
he's always a crank until he has his morning coffee
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in eccentric
a person of odd or whimsical habits
she's a bit of a crank, but still a good-hearted person
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in whim
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action
his endless and unpredictable cranks made spending time with him exhausting
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in triumphant
having or expressing feelings of joy or triumph
you shouldn't feel so crank, considering that you beat the worst softball team in the league
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in joyful
joyously unrestrained
folks around here are downright crank that a local boy won a gold medal in the Olympics
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crank
Joey Skladany, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2025
But the crank turns in the opposite direction, moving the stone slightly toward Scrooge rather than away from him.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025
Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
The temperatures, finally, turned cold enough this week to crank the machines on to put more snow onto the slopes, with hopes of being able to reopen in the coming days.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crank
Noun
This old-fashioned instrument relied on a hand crank, as well as an outside metal canister that contained ice and rock salt to freeze its contents of milk, cream, sugar, and mix-ins.
—Joey Skladany, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2025
But the crank turns in the opposite direction, moving the stone slightly toward Scrooge rather than away from him.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025
Verb
All right, buckle up, grab your foam finger, clear your throat and crank up the Lynyrd Skynyrd.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
The temperatures, finally, turned cold enough this week to crank the machines on to put more snow onto the slopes, with hopes of being able to reopen in the coming days.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crank
Noun
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And there are plenty more infant critters in these Wildlife Photographer of the Year images, including a possum, a crab, kestrels and bear cubs galore.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Dinner is a playground of refreshing charm and joyful abandon; expect fresh takes like cavatelli with pepperoni butter or spaghetti alla chitarra with crab and tomato gravy.—
Chris Morocco,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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On his mother’s side, a line of troubled souls and eccentrics.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
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The late Catherine O’Hara had an uncanny ability to find the eccentric in anyone.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The island nation, vulnerable to the whims of the Atlantic, has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Danish firm Wavepiston to turn those crashing swells into a 50 MW power source.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
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In contrast, executive orders are the whims of a single person.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Éomer’s exile from Rohan and eventual return during the battle of Helm’s Deep in Two Towers felt more emotional and triumphant.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Jan. 2026
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The euphonium, a tenor tuba, shifts among moods solemn, restless, agitated, triumphant and reflective.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Fullerton players were disappointed, but eventually joyful.—
Martin Henderson,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Zoo officials described the birth as a rare and joyful milestone not only for the National Zoo, but for Asian elephant conservation more broadly.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Later that evening, the BDX droids were spotted winding their way through an Italian restaurant in Boston’s seaport district, as diners took out their phones to snap pics and take videos.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Feb. 2026
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The winding 25-minute trek from a nearby (sort of) city subway stop won’t get your boots wet on a dry day.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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According to the National Weather Service website, Groundhog Day has its roots in European weather lore, where a badger or bear is the prognosticator, not a groundhog, and in Candlemas, a day for blessing candles.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
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But after two years of constant companionship, the bear was lost during a sleepover, leaving the 7-year-old devastated.—
Seth Carnell,
USA Today,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Pecans Pecans contain more flavonoids than other tree nuts, like almonds, cashews, and walnuts.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Verywell Health,
6 Feb. 2026
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However, either nut can fit into a balanced, nutritious diet and can support weight control when portioned mindfully.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crank. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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