1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
a crabby old dog who snapped at passersby
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restless
given to complaining a lot
a bunch of crabby kids who don't want to do any work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crabby
This time, however, she is joined by a crew consisting of an enthusiastic young engineer, a crabby senior farmer and a history-preserving storyteller.
—
Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 26 Nov. 2024
What Kate will not thank him for is being a big crabby baby about her relationship with Dennison.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
There were fish living in the ice and thousands of mating pairs of these giant crustaceans dropping out of crevices on top of us, like giant crabby spiders.
—Jill Heinerth, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
Come the crash of 2008, David’s leisure-world empire collapses, and Abraham’s patriarchal mien and tolerance turn to crabby solitude with the prospect of unloading their dream for pennies on the dollar.
—Gordon Cox, Variety, 2 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for crabby
Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 26 Nov. 2024
What Kate will not thank him for is being a big crabby baby about her relationship with Dennison.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
There were fish living in the ice and thousands of mating pairs of these giant crustaceans dropping out of crevices on top of us, like giant crabby spiders.
—Jill Heinerth, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
Come the crash of 2008, David’s leisure-world empire collapses, and Abraham’s patriarchal mien and tolerance turn to crabby solitude with the prospect of unloading their dream for pennies on the dollar.
—Gordon Cox, Variety, 2 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for crabby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crabby
Adjective
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Strong winds also may have North Texans feeling more irritable, which scientists blame on there being too many positive ions in the air.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Mar. 2025
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Signs of overextension burnout include feeling emotionally drained, becoming irritable and struggling to focus—all of which can affect both your work and personal life.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Wall Street has started to get restless as the clock keeps ticking.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2025
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Starr will get restless in a month and come running back.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The energy of the performances — from Aduba’s deadpan forthrightness to the more antic work by comedians like Marino and Jane Curtin (as the president’s grouchy mother-in-law) — and the rat-a-tat style of all the conversations carries the day.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
20 Mar. 2025
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The episode ends with Matty about to meet up with the firm’s perpetually grouchy dog lover and Barry Manilow fan in the park, revealing her secret to someone at the firm at last.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Three-time Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan is its heart, providing a grounding presence between the grumpy musician and lovable weirdo.—
Lisa Wong Macabasco,
Vogue,
28 Mar. 2025
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The standard heartwarming and humorous animal story unfolds as the penguin — eventually named Juan Salvador — forces Tom out of his grumpy, bored existence.—
Katie Walsh,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Trying to Kill Each Other' And Walken is marvelous — querulous, petty, cruel — as the Emperor.—
Tom Gliatto,
Peoplemag,
29 Feb. 2024
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Instead, Gerwig and Baumbach promote querulous sloganeering.—
Armond White,
National Review,
19 July 2023
Adjective
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During her rehearsal, Windsor was visibly nervous and explained that the song was a risk.—
Daniela Avila,
People.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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The Hill: Families and students are nervous about the fate of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid amid Trump’s massive cuts to the Department of Education and his plans to do away with it entirely.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The odd couple: Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood), a free-spirited young woman from Manchester tagging along with her cranky, fiftysomething life partner Rick (Walton Goggins), who is on a mission to avenge his father’s death.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2025
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Meanwhile, a cranky back and shoulder fatigue delayed Clarke Schmidt and forced him to start the year on the injured list.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
23 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crabby. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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