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
5
as in psychotic
dialect
having or showing a very abnormal or sick state of mind
the man would inflict on innocent bystanders his cranky ruminations on world events
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of cranky
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
Early to bed, too early to rise – makes your dad crazy, cranky and tired.
—Caleb Harris, Austin American-Statesman, 3 Oct. 2024
There's nothing worse than spending hours walking with no clear destination or waiting in a long line with cranky kids.
—Mary Helen Law, Travel + Leisure, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cranky 
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
Early to bed, too early to rise – makes your dad crazy, cranky and tired.
—Caleb Harris, Austin American-Statesman, 3 Oct. 2024
There's nothing worse than spending hours walking with no clear destination or waiting in a long line with cranky kids.
—Mary Helen Law, Travel + Leisure, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cranky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cranky
Adjective
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Amazon’s best-selling soup bowls are made with triple-layered glass that even the clumsiest folks may find hard to break.—
Ashley Zlatopolsky,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2025
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Okay too many clumsy Star Wars references there, but one thing the report also correctly notes is that this would be a rare development where Star Wars recruits a top A-list actor to star in a film.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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By the end, Liverpool’s players seemed tired and Klopp was irritable, clearly in need of a rest.—
Simon Hughes,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
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The trio’s sixth record is charmingly irritable in both of its moods: hopped up on fluffy coffee while cracking baseball jokes, or dragging out downbeats and lamenting power structures to goad listeners with mounting anticipation.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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His output is alluded to in the film’s atmospheric credit sequence, in which a restless, scratchy charcoal pencil attacks white paper, the claustrophobia of which is intensified by the director’s intimate use of Academy ratio.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
25 Jan. 2025
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That iconic scene—which took place on the corner of 52nd and Lex—is from Billy Wilder’s 1955 comedy The Seven Year Itch, about a restless husband (Tom Ewell) ensorcelled by a neighboring blond (Monroe, of course).—
Vogue,
Vogue,
25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The scene perfectly captures the absurdity of Toya throwing a party for her first Birkin—made even funnier by the group’s collective indifference.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
20 Jan. 2025
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Read: Does Dave Chappelle find anything funnier than being cancelled?—
Hannah Giorgis,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The counselor also told police Trotman had had a previous psychotic break in which he was found wandering the woods.—
Peter Hermann,
Washington Post,
7 Feb. 2023
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Lewis prescribed Price anti-psychotic medication after a mental health referral Sept. 1.—
Thomas Saccente,
Arkansas Online,
17 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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Listen to Marsden recall the awkward encounter in the clip above.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
24 Jan. 2025
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In his defense, the Anti-Defamation League tweeted from X that Musk’s gesture seemed to be an awkward expression of enthusiasm.—
Quartz Intelligence Newsroom,
Quartz,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Share [Findings] Marine biologists described the Red Sea’s grumpy dwarfgoby.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harper's Magazine,
22 Jan. 2025
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These residents are forever loyal, even when grumpy, about their teams.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
The Mercury News,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Does that explain his bizarre excursion to allow Arnaut Danjuma to score?—
Greg O'Keeffe,
The Athletic,
30 Jan. 2025
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Archaeologists have uncovered a series of bizarre ancient burials in France.—
Jonathan Granoff,
Newsweek,
29 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Cranky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cranky. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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