1
as in crab
an irritable and complaining person
he's always a crank until he has his morning coffee
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in eccentric
a person of odd or whimsical habits
she's a bit of a crank, but still a good-hearted person
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in whim
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action
his endless and unpredictable cranks made spending time with him exhausting
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in triumphant
having or expressing feelings of joy or triumph
you shouldn't feel so crank, considering that you beat the worst softball team in the league
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in joyful
joyously unrestrained
folks around here are downright crank that a local boy won a gold medal in the Olympics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crank
Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Both come with all-wheel drive and panoramic moonroofs as standard, and the GLS even gets the option of a flat-crank V8, as our friends at Car & Driver pointed out.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 1 Apr. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
By 1996, every band with a guitar felt the pressure to crank its amps as loud as possible, and even indie pop fans heard the clean jangle of prior years give way to the distorted crunch and Psychocandy worship of bands like Black Tambourine and Henry’s Dress.
—David Glickman, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crank
Noun
The Republican Party embraced neoconservatism; Buchanan and his cohort were the stewards of an ideology for cranks.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Both come with all-wheel drive and panoramic moonroofs as standard, and the GLS even gets the option of a flat-crank V8, as our friends at Car & Driver pointed out.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
That’s largely because of how high Jaquez was able to crank up the heat from the jump Sunday.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
By 1996, every band with a guitar felt the pressure to crank its amps as loud as possible, and even indie pop fans heard the clean jangle of prior years give way to the distorted crunch and Psychocandy worship of bands like Black Tambourine and Henry’s Dress.
—David Glickman, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crank
Noun
-
Now in its 79th year, the three-day festival celebrates Maryland’s blue crab culture with crab races, boat docking contests, cooking competitions, and live music in the southernmost town of Maryland.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
-
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
Noun
-
The town’s overflowing with charming Midwest eccentrics, including a cocky mayor (Henry Winkler) and a welcoming barkeep (Lena Headey).—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Those crazy, diverse individuals, that tribe of oddballs and eccentrics, dreamers, and gamblers who make up this business.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Now is the time for Colorado leaders to push back on this bad decision and fight for a future where disaster declarations are considered on their merits and qualifications, not on the angry whims of one man.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Butlers are on call (and WhatsApp) for your every whim and can arrange tennis lessons, boat excursions, and horseback riding.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Even the song’s big moment—the climactic return—is muted and tentative here, as what should be the triumphant riff stalls out before its final note.—
Stephen M. Deusner,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Below is a track-by-track breakdown of Kehlani’s ninth studio effort, her most triumphant yet.—
Adelle Platon,
VIBE.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In that derelict playground, Lucy reminisces about her hippie youth, then spins in joyful abandon on a rusty carrousel.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Spring clearly has Reese Witherspoon in a joyful mood.—
Nicol Natale,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The rich textures and thick ambiance of The Eyes of Others are pure high modernist 1960s Italian cinema, but De Sica unfurls the film’s winding intrigues with a contemporary sense of suspense, carnality, and visual boldness.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
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Most excursions center around the Arenal River, which winds through the middle of all the action—think river tubing that's more like bumper cars, and horseback riding across water deep enough to get your boots wet.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026
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
Noun
-
Everything is coated in a garlic butter salt that masks the mediocrity of the nuts.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Phytic acid is a natural substance found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.—
Sohaib Imtiaz,
Verywell Health,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crank. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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