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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cranky
You, me, a cranky little guy with white boots, a guy whose company was rife with Medicaid fraud.
—
Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026
The Holdovers Set in 1970s New England, The Holdovers follows a cranky prep school teacher (Paul Giamatti) who reluctantly supervises students stuck on campus over Christmas break.
—Lydia Price, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
There's no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than watching everyone's favorite cranky character descend upon Whoville.
—Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 22 Dec. 2025
The new musical comedy show will star a frazzled leader, ambitious lieutenant, playful maverick, cranky grouch and quirky problem solver, according to the Disney Auditions website.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cranky
Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026
The Holdovers Set in 1970s New England, The Holdovers follows a cranky prep school teacher (Paul Giamatti) who reluctantly supervises students stuck on campus over Christmas break.
—Lydia Price, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
There's no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than watching everyone's favorite cranky character descend upon Whoville.
—Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 22 Dec. 2025
The new musical comedy show will star a frazzled leader, ambitious lieutenant, playful maverick, cranky grouch and quirky problem solver, according to the Disney Auditions website.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cranky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cranky
Adjective
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Lizzie McGuire made viewers feel seen because Duff was clumsy and awkward, falling into platters of spaghetti and getting dumped by her first boyfriend.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The tech driving my first clumsy steps included a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) and GPS sensors monitoring each ski’s position and the weight and angle of my heel.—
Kendall Hunter,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Lack of sleep can lead to a range of problems, including feeling more irritable.—
Michelle Mastro,
The Spruce,
7 Feb. 2026
-
On the contrary, Juventus’ football soothed even the most irritable sections of the crowd.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The Nigerian city of more than 20 million people is renowned for its hustle and bustle, its restless energy and commercial drive — a place where honks from signature yellow passenger buses fill the air.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Gainsbourg plays Charlotte’s protective sister, while Hellmann stars as a restless artist caught between love and loyalty and McAlpine plays a young aspiring dancer.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The builders’ alternating harassment and bribery leaves Cook with little recourse, especially when mafioso-like representatives begin dropping by at all hours, leading to dry exchanges — what little dialogue the film has is extremely funny.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2026
-
This Elvis comes across confident, breezy, comfortable and funny.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Reaching backward or twisting around other people to grab a bag is awkward and strains muscles.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
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These things are often awkward at the best of times and with the best of families, but this oddball mess of a household might just be the actual worst.—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The home crowd, grumpy and disillusioned a few weeks earlier, are now cheering the team off the pitch.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
All the fresh ingredients, inventive recipes, meticulous plating and glorious design means nothing if my food is served by a grumpy waiter or if my water glass is dirty.—
Lynne Sullivan,
The Providence Journal,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In a bizarre twist, Sweden’s Sara Hector and Norway’s Thea Louise Stjernesund skied identical times — down to the hundredth of a second — in the morning and afternoon to tie for silver.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
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Of all the Manhattan’s children—and there are many—the Harvard Cocktail is perhaps the most bizarre.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The process is cumbersome, deliberate, sluggish … and long overdue.—
Bill Swank,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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One approach is to reform outdated and cumbersome permitting processes so clean energy projects, such as for solar and wind power — along with more transmission lines — can be added to our grid more quickly.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cranky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cranky. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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