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
Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
Its service style is antithetical to cranky Canter’s.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Nov. 2024
This stretch of Fifth has comparatively few residents to be cranky about it (beyond a couple of notable mixed-use towers), and virtually no curbside parking to argue about, perhaps defanging the opposition somewhat.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 17 Oct. 2024
Underneath that, though, the episode builds to a bigger reveal, as the filibuster becomes about more than a cranky politician.
—Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cranky 
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Adjective
And there was Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor getting cranky during oral arguments about the lack of uniform standards for ballots and how they are handled.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
Its service style is antithetical to cranky Canter’s.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Nov. 2024
This stretch of Fifth has comparatively few residents to be cranky about it (beyond a couple of notable mixed-use towers), and virtually no curbside parking to argue about, perhaps defanging the opposition somewhat.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 17 Oct. 2024
Underneath that, though, the episode builds to a bigger reveal, as the filibuster becomes about more than a cranky politician.
—Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 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 1 Dec. 2024.
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