crankier; crankiest
1
a
: given to fretful fussiness : readily angered when opposed : crotchety
Our long wait … left us a tad cranky.Connecticut
b
: marked by eccentricity
… his bizarre and cranky mix of ideas and beliefs …R. J. Evans
2
: full of twists and turns : tortuous
a cranky road
3
: working erratically : unpredictable
a cranky old tractor
4
dialect : silly, eccentric
crankily adverb
crankiness noun

cranky

2 of 2

adjective (2)

of a boat

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
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 The late Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, who could be pretty cranky himself about various aspects of the Dead’s world, music, and culture, had no issues acknowledging Lesh’s presence. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2024 He's depicted in Saturday Night in all his cranky glory by The Americans' Matthew Rhys. Olivia B. Waxman, TIME, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cranky 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

crank entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective (2)

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cranky was in 1821

Dictionary Entries Near cranky

Cite this Entry

“Cranky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cranky. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

cranky

adjective
ˈkraŋ-kē
crankier; crankiest
1
: easily angered or irritated
2
: hard to handle
a cranky boat
crankiness
-kē-nəs
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cranky

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