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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Despite ignoring his initial greeting and relying on her cranky anti-neighborly attitude to dissuade further outreach, Nile won’t relent.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Nov. 2025
When talking about his cake, Noel asks Aaron what the hero flavor will be because Paul gets cranky when there isn’t one.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Signs to treat fevers include being unusually sleepy, cranky and refusing food and drinks.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cranky
Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 2 Dec. 2025
Despite ignoring his initial greeting and relying on her cranky anti-neighborly attitude to dissuade further outreach, Nile won’t relent.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Nov. 2025
When talking about his cake, Noel asks Aaron what the hero flavor will be because Paul gets cranky when there isn’t one.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Signs to treat fevers include being unusually sleepy, cranky and refusing food and drinks.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cranky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cranky
Adjective
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Rosenberg is careful to note that this doesn’t require abandoning values or discernment, but recognizing that beneath every expression — skillful, clumsy, or even hurtful — is an unmet need.—
Jasna Hodžić,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
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The clumsy, confusing rollout of the fees certainly didn’t help — as many residents who were promised a locals discount couldn’t figure out how to tap that benefit.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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On the contrary, Juventus’ football soothed even the most irritable sections of the crowd.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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This can include feeling irritable, having a low frustration tolerance, feeling easily overstimulated, and having rapid shifts in emotion.—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Unlike restless Nora, Agnes is married with a son, able to view her deeply flawed dad from the vantage point of both a daughter and mother.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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Many knitters describe the activity as a way to channel anxious or restless energy into something tangible.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
3 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
His sharp, funny, and unexpectedly comforting voice makes the book a joy to read and turns what could feel grim into something liberating.—
Jasna Hodžić,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Roy Keane is clearly a very funny character who everyone is scared of… Then Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville are just absolutely filled with football.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Scenes around the dinner table are awkward to say the least, but Meg has a big supporter in bestie Penny (Sophia Torres) and a burning desire to bring this show to life against all odds.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
26 Jan. 2026
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All four athletes stood together, smiling for photos through an undeniably awkward situation.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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And who doesn’t relish the gothic details of an ancient manor and grumpy yet uniquely attractive duke that owns it?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
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Then there was the grumpy forty-something.—
John Winsor,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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His work is marked by unusual, even bizarre, material choices that encrust spatial compositions reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s innovative open space plans.—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Jan. 2026
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Some unnamed Chicago bartender in the early 1880s had the improbable idea of taking a Whiskey Sour and adding a little red wine to the top, inventing in a bizarre flash of insightone of the great warm weather whiskey drinks of our time.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Others utilize passive mechanical structures that are often cumbersome and can’t shift shape in real time.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
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Bleach solutions also work but are more cumbersome and require a several-minute soak time.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cranky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cranky. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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