cranking (up)

verb

present participle of crank (up)
as in triggering
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 cranking (up)
  1. triggering
  2. activating
  3. sparking
  4. driving
  5. setting off
  6. turning on
  7. touching off
Verb
  • Prosecutors argued that the building caught on fire, triggering a massive explosion and propelling canisters in the air, one of which fatally struck Salter in the head.
    — DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget marked the occasion by noting that the retirement program’s trust fund is projected to be depleted in six years, triggering an automatic benefit reduction of about 22% under current law.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of triggering
Verb
  • Mercury conjoins Jupiter in Leo and your 3rd House of Communication, activating texts, calls, emails, errands, siblings, neighbors, and local connections.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Gonzalez pushed back on the explanation, warning Calvo that activating the emergency lights could have criminal consequences.
    — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of activating
Verb
  • The operation has come under scrutiny, sparking questions as to whether those left on the decoy plane presumed to still be carrying the President were at risk.
    — Tiago Ventura, Time, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Once a quiet Mediterranean fishing village, Saint-Tropez exploded into a global hot spot in the 1950s, sparking a massive, decades-long surge in tourism, the National Geographic reported.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of sparking
Verb
  • Iran’s economy was in a dire state before the war too, with poor economic conditions a key driving factor behind the anti-regime demonstrations which kicked off in the Iranian capital city Tehran in 2025.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The economy is driving young Americans' enlistments, according to Pentagon data.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of driving
Verb
  • This year, Europe has been sweltering under an exceptionally hot and arid summer, with tinderbox conditions setting off unprecedented fires that have forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate homes and vacation spots.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The peaceful exile is shattered when Ravana’s sister, Surpanakha (played by Rakul Preet Singh), becomes infatuated with Rama, setting off a chain of events that leads to her humiliation.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 July 2026
Definition of setting off
Verb
  • But there’s nothing better than a little kid opening his gift and then turning on the TV watching the NBA games.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Bowed July 10, it is directed by Arima León, turning on their encounter and their correspondence afterwards.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 27 July 2026
Definition of turning on
Verb
  • The university prepared to wash its hands of this important part of its legacy, touching off a furious backlash.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
  • With two minutes left in the period, Parayko ran Yurov into the boards from behind, touching off a fight between the Blues’ defenseman and Trenin.
    — Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 14 Apr. 2026
Definition of touching 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

cranking out
cranking (up)
crankish
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cranking (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cranking%20%28up%29. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of oxymoron

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All