CRANK (UP) Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

crank (up)

verb

Definition of crank (up)

as in to trigger

to cause to function crank up the CD player so we can dance

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for crank (up)

Verb

By triggering the release of a natural growth factor in the brain and modulating neural pathways associated with addiction and reward, ibogaine restores healthy dopamine function and reduces cravings, Barsuglia said.

— Gavin Escott, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Vibrations from earth-moving equipment could have triggered further collapses, possibly dooming Gil — and his would-be rescuers.

— Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of trigger

Verb

The company told deputies that someone at the Sheriff's Office or a Flock employee could have reactivated the feature, or that a system bug could have automatically activated it.

— Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 14 July 2026
Press down on the trigger lock switch before squeezing the trigger to activate the blade.

— Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026

Definition of activate

Verb

His goal sparked an offensive assault from Boise as Portland sank into a deep defensive mould, with five defenders and four midfielders sitting tight in their own box.

— Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 18 July 2026
Jon Bernthal as Menelaus Menelaus is the king whose wife Helen sparked the Trojan War.

— Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026

Definition of spark

Verb

The latest in Houston Salgado Araujo, 52, was driving to work with three other construction crew members when unmarked vehicles carrying federal agents began following his van, his family said.

— Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
When Fumi takes a job at Rin’s clinic planning to expose its darker side, their standoff drives the series, with the story more interested in what pushes people toward transformation than in the surgeries themselves.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 July 2026

Definition of drive

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cranks (up)

crank (up)

cranky

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Style

“Crank (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crank%20%28up%29. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of crank (up)

verb

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