as in to trigger
to cause to function
crank up the CD player so we can dance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crank (up)
Verb
-
She was released and showed back up over an hour later, triggering another scuffle.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Jan. 2026 -
Routine recommendations trigger automatic prompts in medical records and enable nurses to vaccinate under standing orders.—
Jake Scott,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
During this cruise phase, the team activated and tested the onboard instruments.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Rather than activating the olfactory nerve, the system stimulates the trigeminal nerve, a sensory pathway in the nasal cavity responsible for conveying touch, temperature, and irritation.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The incident sparked national outcry, as numerous videos circulated online showing multiple angles of the shooting, including the bodycam point of view of the officer who shot Good.—
Andrew Adeolu,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The shootings in Minneapolis and Portland, Oregon, have sparked fierce debates across the nation.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That calculus reflects a broader shift in tennis sponsorships, as the balance of power moves toward smaller brands willing to invest in product, personalization, and year-round storytelling — and away from legacy deals driven primarily by logo visibility.—
Jessica Schiffer,
Vogue,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Emilio’s father then drove around the area to find his son, but was unsuccessful, per the database.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Walmart’s 400 kW chargers can power two EVs at once.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Lucid Group, Nuro, and Uber have unveiled the production-intent robotaxi that will power their upcoming global autonomous ride-hailing service.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Crank (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crank%20%28up%29. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
