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 whole debacle left me shaking my head like a Waldorf and Statler-style old-timey crank, openly nostalgic for a time in which music took up more space, demanded more of us, and didn’t have to be so uplifting. — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 20 July 2026 The firefighters ultimately used a hand crank to move the elevator, and Wallace told the outlet that the museum gave the everyone lifetime free passes in return. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Verb
Your air conditioner will likely crank up a bit with plenty of sunshine to go around. — Bill Kelly, CBS News, 31 July 2026 Don’t crank up your air conditioner to ease the burden on your refrigerator. — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 28 July 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
  • Here, they’re filled with crab and served as a starter, or with goat's milk ice cream and local honey for dessert.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Silverton plans on adding new items such as a crab Louie, shrimp cocktail, more steak sides and sauces, steak tartare and artichoke dip.
    — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of crab
Noun
  • No documentarian has a better eye for intriguing oddballs than Errol Morris, who built his feature film career on drawing them out in conversation, from pet-cemetery owners in Gates of Heaven to small-town eccentrics in Vernon, Florida.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
  • With its loose ends and digressions, Dream Me a Dream stays true to those idiosyncratic instincts while retaining enough of the welcoming glow of Dance of Love to make this an affecting farewell from an endearing eccentric.
    — Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 22 June 2026
Definition of eccentric
Noun
  • But an outdoor garden, no matter how beautiful and lovingly designed or how innovatively used in the menu, is susceptible to the whims of Miami’s humid, rainy, extraordinarily lengthy summers.
    — Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
  • And these people are at the whim of whatever ICE wants to do with them.
    — Vanessa Romo, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of whim
Adjective
  • This year, K-pop Demon Hunters picked up a couple of Oscars, the pop group BTS made its triumphant return to sold out crowds, and K-pop took center stage at the World Cup final.
    — Ramtin Arablouei, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Though there are only four awards given, just being a finalist is a triumphant feat.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of triumphant
Adjective
  • Malgorzata Szumowska, Michal Englert) Aimee Lou Wood and Johnny Flynn are superb as Anna and Fyodor Dostoevsky in Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert’s acerbic and joyful period film.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Malgorzata Szumowska, Michal Englert) Aimee Lou Wood and Johnny Flynn play Anna and Fyodor Dostoevsky in Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert’s acerbic and joyful period film.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of joyful
Verb
  • Before court went into session that day, a long line of people was winding through the lobby of the downtown Regional Justice Center in downtown Las Vegas, waiting to pay traffic tickets.
    — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • But three years in, funding ran out and Angelides wound the company down deliberately, using personal money to make sure every teacher was paid.
    — Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of wind
Noun
  • The bear scratched his arm, and the victim tripped and injured his foot while trying to escape, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
    — Jon Haworth, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Then, one baby bear made its way here, and the other about a half a mile in the other direction.
    — Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of bear
Noun
  • This is not a medical spa and therefore there is no nutrition concept, but healthful snacks like fruit grown on property and nuts are available in the changing spaces, hydrotherapy zone and the relaxation rooms.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and other fiber-containing foods provide nutrients that support beneficial bacteria.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of nut

Phrases Containing crank

Browse Nearby Words

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 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crank

Nglish: Translation of crank for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crank

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