as in bears
an irritable and complaining person
you're always such a crab in the morning!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in complains
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
their two-year-old whined and crabbed for the whole car trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in damages
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
crabbed the blossoming romance by becoming moody and demanding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crabs
Kara Williams, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The beak — also called the jaw — is the only rigid portion, made of chitin, a tough material also found in the shells of crabs, lobsters and insects.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
As omnivores, North American river otters eat fish, turtles, crabs, mollusks, birds, oysters, shellfish, crayfish, frogs, rodents and insects.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
North American river otters are omnivores, feeding on fish, turtles, crabs, mollusks, birds, oysters, shellfish, crayfish, frogs, rodents and insects.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
Some have managed to get by catching crabs or other types of fish, while others have left the state.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026
The plant provides habitat for fish, crabs and plankton, feeds migratory birds and locks away carbon and methane — both heat-trapping greenhouse gases — in coastal sediments.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Meadows had been working on the Aleutian Lady, one of the vessels filmed for the long-running show, fishing for crabs on the Bering Sea.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026
Fishermen found lobsters and crabs painted black and weighed down by oil.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Noun
The tide pools around Haystack and elsewhere along Cannon Beach are extraordinary, with colorful sea stars, anemones, crabs, snails, coral, sponges, and sea slugs.
—Kara Williams, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The beak — also called the jaw — is the only rigid portion, made of chitin, a tough material also found in the shells of crabs, lobsters and insects.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
As omnivores, North American river otters eat fish, turtles, crabs, mollusks, birds, oysters, shellfish, crayfish, frogs, rodents and insects.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
North American river otters are omnivores, feeding on fish, turtles, crabs, mollusks, birds, oysters, shellfish, crayfish, frogs, rodents and insects.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
Some have managed to get by catching crabs or other types of fish, while others have left the state.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026
The plant provides habitat for fish, crabs and plankton, feeds migratory birds and locks away carbon and methane — both heat-trapping greenhouse gases — in coastal sediments.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Meadows had been working on the Aleutian Lady, one of the vessels filmed for the long-running show, fishing for crabs on the Bering Sea.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026
Fishermen found lobsters and crabs painted black and weighed down by oil.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crabs
Noun
-
His love for animals was developed through an affinity for koala bears.—
Dave Campbell,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The xG step chart below bears this out.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Lauersdorf is always willing to answer constituent concerns, and never complains, said Heritage Homeowners’ Association vice president Jennifer Samuels in a Facebook post promoting the fundraising effort.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The narrator in Pseudo-Quintilian’s fiction complains of the unfairness of the bout.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Mercury damages the nervous system.—
Anton L. Delgado,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Antisemitism weakens trust, corrodes pluralism and damages the social fabric on which diverse communities depend.—
Laurence Milstein,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The pervasive popularity of the show and its creator will be the reason the complainers have no voice.—
Rich Heldenfels,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
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If family needs cause drama, set kind boundaries and explain them to any complainers.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Nothing about this neighborhood screams blockbuster.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
In the clip, the ride suddenly falls down with her phone dropping to the ground, and screams can be heard in the background in the seconds after the collapse.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
No sadness mars the purity of its paranoia.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
-
However, an earnestness mars most of the proceedings.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Freight House building creaks and moans underfoot, and passing trains produce little more than a subtle hum.—
Nicole Letts,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Back in the car, Albert moans and groans while Billie shrieks in panic.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This storyline later appeared in the second season of Girls, as Dunham’s character Hannah is overwhelmed with the anxiety of writing a novel and similarly injures herself.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
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In her desperation to ask Val for a job on the new sitcom, Sharon falls and injures herself.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crabs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crabs. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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