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
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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
Think of places where the checkout process could easily become a nightmare if devices go down, causing long lines and impatient, cranky customers.
—
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Many modern parents are more likely to soothe a cranky baby with a smartphone than a pacifier.
—Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 2 May 2025
Weird, but not nearly as weird as sidekick comedian Richard King pretending to be cranky KISS bassist Gene Simmons for a whole episode a few weeks ago.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 May 2025
His schedule was previously delayed by a cranky back.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cranky
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Many modern parents are more likely to soothe a cranky baby with a smartphone than a pacifier.
—Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 2 May 2025
Weird, but not nearly as weird as sidekick comedian Richard King pretending to be cranky KISS bassist Gene Simmons for a whole episode a few weeks ago.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 May 2025
His schedule was previously delayed by a cranky back.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cranky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cranky
Adjective
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And Hank’s own clumsy attempts at hypermasculine child-rearing often come from his father, Cotton (Toby Huss).—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
7 July 2025
-
Gone are are the days of clumsy imagery and texts and fake sign-in pages that can be detected in an instant.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
3 July 2025
Adjective
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Determined to make a clean SPF, Brown says a chemical formula was out of the question (chemical sunscreens are often thought to be unsafe for the coral reef and irritable to sensitive skin types).—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
9 July 2025
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In my own experience, poor sleep has frequently been the reason behind feeling tired and irritable.—
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt,
CNN Money,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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Better to wait the performance out, to hope the protesters would get restless and give up.—
Clare Sestanovich,
New Yorker,
13 July 2025
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Life was full and busy, but beneath the surface, Nancy was restless.—
Dateline NBC,
NBC news,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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Their loyalty and love for each other is rewarded just by being cooler and funnier than anyone else around.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
7 July 2025
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But a journalist and the comedian swapping professions for a day or two could be funny.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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An historic night at Madison Square Garden on Friday night turned into an awkward moment in the wee hours of Saturday morning at the Taylor-Serrano 3 post-fight press conference.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
12 July 2025
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Advertisement Advertisement To illustrate this point, consider the best man at a wedding who, instead of celebrating the couple, shares personal stories that only serve to embarrass them, often with awkward details that have no place in such a tender moment.—
Matt Abrahams,
Time,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
Timeless talent Abigail Spencer has a new gig: being the sunshine to Josh Charles’ grumpy.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
7 July 2025
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The Norman Lear classic introduced Redd Foxx as Fred Sanford, a grumpy but lovable head of the household living with his son, Lamont Sanford (Demond Wilson).—
Angela Andaloro,
People.com,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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Some 40 of these bizarre, geochemically-active sub-Neptunes are currently being studied observationally.—
Bruce Dorminey,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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As a result of a bizarre last-minute decision, the nominees in two Emmys categories will be announced Tuesday morning on CBS nearly four hours ahead of the TV Academy’s official nominations announcement, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.—
Beatrice Verhoeven,
HollywoodReporter,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Second, immigrant families could obtain relief through class-action lawsuits, although filing class actions in federal court can be a lengthy and cumbersome process.—
Nell Salzman,
Chicago Tribune,
6 July 2025
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Their effects will be modulated by how cumbersome or efficient work-verification systems are, by the availability of insurance-eligibility workers, and by community outreach or lack thereof.—
Lindsay Ryan,
The Atlantic,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cranky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cranky. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
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