crankier; crankiest
1
a
: given to fretful fussiness : readily angered when opposed : crotchety
Our long wait … left us a tad cranky.—
Connecticut
Connecticut
b
: marked by eccentricity
… his bizarre and cranky mix of ideas and beliefs …—R. J. Evans
R. J. Evans2
: full of twists and turns : tortuous
a cranky road
3
: working erratically : unpredictable
a cranky old tractor
of a boat
Synonyms
Examples of cranky in a Sentence
Adjective (1)
that old typewriter is handy sometimes, but rather cranky these days
the baby was cranky after not being fed for hours
if cranky children don't appreciate what they already have, then they shouldn't get a thing more
that's just another of his cranky theories about the CIA
the man would inflict on innocent bystanders his cranky ruminations on world events
Recent Examples on the Web
Erik Kain, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Next up is the cat-cow, a dynamic yoga pose that’s great for mobilizing your lower back, which can get cranky after long periods of staying still.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 28 Dec. 2024
Its protagonist, played by Oscar Isaac, is a cranky folk musician who performs at the Gaslight Cafe, one of Dylan’s haunts, and cannot catch a break.
—Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2024
Also, your plants may act a little cranky at first.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cranky 
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Adjective
Whatever cranky conservative quip Allen fires off is sanded down by the balance Dennings brings to the breakfast table.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Next up is the cat-cow, a dynamic yoga pose that’s great for mobilizing your lower back, which can get cranky after long periods of staying still.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 28 Dec. 2024
Its protagonist, played by Oscar Isaac, is a cranky folk musician who performs at the Gaslight Cafe, one of Dylan’s haunts, and cannot catch a break.
—Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2024
Also, your plants may act a little cranky at first.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cranky
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Dictionary Entries Near cranky
Cite this Entry
“Cranky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cranky. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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