as in to trigger
to cause to function
crank up the CD player so we can dance
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crank (up)
Verb
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Trading below $1 over a consecutive 30 trading-day period triggers a warning.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
28 Oct. 2025 -
The election was triggered in June when Wilders abruptly withdrew support from the governing coalition, accusing his partners of blocking his proposal to halt all asylum migration.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The moon activating Neptune puts you in daydream mode.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
26 Oct. 2025
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The fat overload in astrocytes and microglia activates inflammatory pathways.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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After Berube mixed and matched his forwards to spark his team, Nylander finally ended up on the top line.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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The operation has sparked growing scrutiny over federal tactics.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While oil continues to drive Saudi Arabia's economy, the kingdom is now expanding into areas such as artificial intelligence, tourism and sports to diversify its growth avenues.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
28 Oct. 2025
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These extinctions were driven mostly by European agriculture and the introduction of non-native species that outcompeted Australian animals.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Countries are rushing to invest billions in data centers to power AI at a time when developing and deploying dangerous AI systems remains less regulated than opening a new restaurant or building a house.—
Andrea Miotti,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
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More than just a battery, the smart technology manages the home’s energy use throughout the day, accounts for changes in the weather and collects extra energy while the sun is out to power the home during overcast periods and through each night.—
Ryan Ballogg,
Miami Herald,
28 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Crank (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crank%20%28up%29. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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