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
Music writers used to have a reputation for being much crankier than the average listener.
—
David Remnick, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
The experts think fiat money is mature and serious and the gold standard cranky, weird, and atavistic.
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
It’s spoken by Jaques, a cranky courtier from the entourage of Duke Senior, living in banishment in the Forest of Arden.
—Matthew Gurewitsch, Air Mail, 16 Aug. 2025
Don’t be cranky, but don’t be timid, either.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cranky
David Remnick, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
The experts think fiat money is mature and serious and the gold standard cranky, weird, and atavistic.
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
It’s spoken by Jaques, a cranky courtier from the entourage of Duke Senior, living in banishment in the Forest of Arden.
—Matthew Gurewitsch, Air Mail, 16 Aug. 2025
Don’t be cranky, but don’t be timid, either.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cranky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cranky
Adjective
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Threading that narrative in there, and getting all the clumsy beats and the awkward beats, felt like a continuation of the narrative.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Sep. 2025
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Well accustomed to the bumps and bruises that come with playing defense at a high level, Thomas can look back with some humor at one of the ankle injuries, which was due to a clumsy play.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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However, such symptoms are hard to attribute to vaccines because infants can be irritable or fussy regardless of vaccination.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
19 Sep. 2025
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When the caffeine wears off, children may have a headache and feel irritable or tired.—
Dr. Mark Corkins,
Boston Herald,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The company’s movement language—restless, precise, elastic—has built a home for stories that were long told elsewhere, or not at all.—
Skylar Mitchell,
Essence,
29 Sep. 2025
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Their deeper role is to host inquietud—the restless desire to know more, to question assumptions, to look for connections across disciplines and geographies.—
Javier Garcia del Moral
September 26,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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What follows is a dramedy that is simultaneously an anthropological examination of the film industry’s denizens and a disturbing — though often very funny — look at the fragility of identity in that world.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
25 Sep. 2025
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My idea of funny is the English say the craziest things with a straight face.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In July, a Coldplay concert jumbotron captured an awkward moment after panning to an embracing couple, who promptly unlocked arms and tried to dodge the camera.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
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According to Fightful, Holland had an awkward landing during his match.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Mika takes a job teaching three young witches, and getting to know a grumpy and overprotective librarian, Jamie, who is also in charge of their care.—
Audrey Goldberg Ruoff,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
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Brooks is a grumpy NYPD detective trying to track down the mom, while Higgins is Brooks’ cop partner.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Take the quiz here … CHAOTIC CALAMITY – Seahawks' celebration turns to disaster as bizarre fumble gives Cardinals new life.—
,
FOXNews.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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Watch On Together, the beads and star arms painted a bizarre, layered portrait of Saturn's skies.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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From scrunchies that secretly double as drink covers to zipper clips that stop pickpockets from opening your backpack, these viral finds prove that travel safety doesn’t have to be cumbersome or expensive.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Sep. 2025
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Big, cumbersome, and greasy, baking sheets can be a pain to clean and dry off.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
21 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cranky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cranky. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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