CRANKED (UP) Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

cranked (up)

verb

past tense of crank (up)

as in activated

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 cranked (up)

Verb

In one incident, a child activated bear spray in a crowd; in another, officers recovered a gun after chasing another youth, police said.

— Nathan Pilling July 29, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026
The right-handed closer is scheduled to be activated Wednesday — fittingly, when 40,000 fans will receive an Díaz bobblehead — after missing three months because of right elbow surgery.

— Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026

Definition of activated

Verb

However, amongst all of these cases, there are some that were seemingly triggered remotely, and this leads Batou and Togusa on the trail of a shady robotics manufacturer, with a corrupt and entirely cybernetic boss.

— Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
The Iran war triggered a historic oil shortage that drove up fuel costs and catapulted inflation to a three-year high.

— Max Zahn, ABC News, 29 July 2026

Definition of triggered

Verb

The massive influx of people, which totaled 70% of Ceuta’s resident population, sparked calls by local Spanish authorities for police and the army to establish order.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
His death sparked an outpouring of adoration from his Sopranos’ castmates, among others.

— Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of sparked

Verb

The Jayhawks defeated Wichita State on Monday in Wichita, drove back to Lawrence on Tuesday morning, then boarded the bus for Lexington late Tuesday afternoon.

— Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
The Iran war triggered a historic oil shortage that drove up fuel costs and catapulted inflation to a three-year high in May, the same month Warsh took the helm of the central bank.

— Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 July 2026

Definition of drove

Verb

The romantic gesture set off a trend and from around 1790 to 1830, miniature artists began to house these tiny eyes in jewels as precious keepsakes.

— Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
The change set off a free-for-all this time around, as a dozen states bid for the chance to vote first.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of set off

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.

Browse Nearby Words

cranked out

cranked (up)

crankiness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cranked (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cranked%20%28up%29. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of cranked (up)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

élan

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes