crank 1 of 3

noun

ˈkraŋk How to pronounce crank (audio)
Definition of cranknext
1
as in crab
an irritable and complaining person he's always a crank until he has his morning coffee

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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

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crank

2 of 3

adjective

chiefly dialect
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

crank

3 of 3

verb

as in to wind

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crank
Noun
The key to the future Today, the car key itself could be going the way of engine hand cranks. — Alison J. Stein, HubSpot, 29 Oct. 2026 Despite being a weird device with a black-and-white screen and a crank jutting out the side, the Playdate has managed to cultivate a strong and constantly growing library of games. — Andrew Webster, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
A day after the Royals scored nine runs against the Athletics, the Kansas City offense took a minute to crank into full gear on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium. — Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026 The Labor Day-to-Memorial Day schedule would also ease the summertime strain on the electric grid because schools wouldn’t have to crank up their air conditioners for as long to keep hundreds of students and teachers cool, Patterson argued. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crank
  1. crab
  2. eccentric
  3. whim
  4. triumphant
  5. joyful
  6. wind
  7. bear
  8. nut
Noun
  • The commercial crab season has seen yearly delays for most of the last decade, due to entanglements and domoic acid concerns.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • For me, the standout of the menu is the love-it-or-loathe-it durian crab curry.
    — Ali Domrongchai, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of crab
Noun
  • The immature eccentric initially has no plans to head back to the States, until Christy convinces him to stand tall and fight.
    — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Step inside, though, and you’re transported to a bucolic Britain of rolling hills and village greens, bumbling eccentrics and cute, clever farm animals.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of eccentric
Noun
  • Critically, this legislation should protect allies from the whims of future presidents.
    — THEODORE BUNZEL, Foreign Affairs, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Shaw’s witty drawing-room debates also warn of a society indulging its whims as catastrophe approaches — a question of how to live when the world careens toward darkness.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of whim
Adjective
  • Between their coordinating looks and unabashed PDA, the pair were as much a spectacle as the triumphant basketball games that played out during the Knicks’s historic run.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Rush will bring their triumphant reunion tour to Las Vegas’ Sphere next spring.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of triumphant
Adjective
  • But the way the characters respond is joyful, funny and inventive.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Valkyries owner Joe Lacob guaranteed a championship within the first five years for this franchise three years ago when the Bay Area was granted an expansion team, and in improbable, joyful fashion, his team accomplished it in Year 2.
    — Janie McCauley, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of joyful
Verb
  • Potential applications include wound dressings designed to help protect difficult-to-heal injuries and wearable patches that combine infection prevention with health monitoring.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Some of the best hiking trails are along the cliffs of Torrey Pines Natural Reserve, like the three-quarter-mile Beach Trail, which winds through clusters of pine trees and wildflowers on the way down to the sand.
    — Sarah Khan, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of wind
Noun
  • Fortunately, the bear hadn’t worked up the courage to raid our stash of meat under the tarp’s lean-to.
    — John B. Snow, Outdoor Life, 11 Nov. 2026
  • More than a dozen conservation officers participated in the response, helping recover the victims, collect evidence and locate the bears while working in difficult terrain and weather conditions.
    — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of bear
Noun
  • Cook, stirring often, until butter browns and nuts have slightly darkened, 6–8 minutes.
    — Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Our server was effusive in her congratulations and attention, especially to my husband’s nut aversion.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of nut

Phrases Containing crank

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craniums
crank
cranked
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Cite this Entry

“Crank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crank. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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