1
as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
that old typewriter is handy sometimes, but rather cranky these days
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
the baby was cranky after not being fed for hours
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3
as in restless
given to complaining a lot
if cranky children don't appreciate what they already have, then they shouldn't get a thing more
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4
as in funny
different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion
that's just another of his cranky theories about the CIA
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cranky
Say goodbye to cranky bath times when these toys are tossed into the tub.
—
Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 10 July 2025
Those who watched the livestream set fired off some cranky tweets about her performance, which Charli decided to respond herself the next morning.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025
The 1972 novel follows the life of mercurial 6-year-old Sophia and her cranky and unsentimental, but loving, grandmother.
—Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
There isn’t one interesting new character, despite the effort from Hammer, Kerry Washington, Nathan Fillion, and Chris Cooper as Lightning’s cranky new trainer.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cranky
Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 10 July 2025
Those who watched the livestream set fired off some cranky tweets about her performance, which Charli decided to respond herself the next morning.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025
The 1972 novel follows the life of mercurial 6-year-old Sophia and her cranky and unsentimental, but loving, grandmother.
—Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
There isn’t one interesting new character, despite the effort from Hammer, Kerry Washington, Nathan Fillion, and Chris Cooper as Lightning’s cranky new trainer.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cranky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cranky
Adjective
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This is a huge bonus for a clumsy gal like myself, who often trips over air.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
People.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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The scale of the problem became terrifyingly clear during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the Japanese government struggled to respond to a nationwide crisis with clumsy digital tools.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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SSRIs are linked to a condition called neonatal adaption syndrome, in which infants are born jittery, irritable and with abnormal muscle tone.—
Andrew Novick,
The Conversation,
31 July 2025
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Frequently, kids who suppress emotions at school come home irritable in a low-key fashion at home.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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The crowds were restless this weekend at Wrigley Field, where fans booed Tucker during Sunday’s 4-3 comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
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Both Justine and Archer, at odds with each other initially, find a sense of purpose for their restless energy in investigating the disappearance themselves.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Scattered Thoughts: The digs at 30 Seconds To Mars were funny and telling.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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Ramirez described Flores as a humble, funny and caring person.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The coming weeks are the slow limp forwards that Putin wants: Tension between Trump and Zelensky first, followed by European pressure on Trump to ease off on Zelensky, followed by awkward and technical stalling over a three-way meeting between Trump, Putin and Zelensky.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
16 Aug. 2025
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Kyler Murray completed seven of his eight passes, with one awkward misread going for a pick: Third-year running back Bam Knight busted out on a 27-yard rush, and his backfield teammate Emari Demercado took a screen pass all the way to the house.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Golden smiled for the picture but made a grumpy face in a second photo, sitting alongside her older sister, Sterling.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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At Castle Leathers, Murtagh is grumpy and sulking because Ellen has been promised to another… which Brian definitely did not know.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The indictment of Adams’ former top advisor came a day after another member of Adams’ inner circle became embroiled in a bizarre apparent bribery attempt involving a news reporter.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
21 Aug. 2025
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Even the after effects of New Zealand’s oil and gas drilling ban did not create such a bizarre set of circumstances and pricing pain points.—
Gaurav Sharma,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Over time, these staffs have ballooned in size, making coordination cumbersome.—
Benjamin Jensen,
The Conversation,
18 Aug. 2025
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As a result, registering an apprenticeship program is a cumbersome process requiring companies to document compliance with a litany of labor laws.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cranky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cranky. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
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