Synonyms for cranky
- adjective
Most common
grumpy irritable grouchy cantankerous unreasonable eccentric shaky rickety
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Grouchy — grouchy, grumpy, irritable; easily upset
grouchy, irritable, cantankerous, grumpy, peevish, petulant, crotchety, tetchy UK US IE, irascible, testy, snarky, choleric, ratty, ill-natured, touchy, peckish informal, bilious, scratchy, fractious, capricious, perverse, techy informal
Other
Definitions
- adj. 1
Grouchy, grumpy, irritable; easily upset.
He got home from a long day at work tired and cranky.
- adj. 2
Not in good working condition; defective, faulty.
Related words
- Word family
- crankiness
Example sentences
- grumpy Tom said that Mary was likely to still be grumpy.
- irritable Tom is usually a little irritable in the morning.
- grouchy Tom said that Mary was likely to still be grouchy.
- cantankerous Dmitri has an unlikable and cantankerous personality.
- unreasonable You can't reason with someone who is unreasonable.
- eccentric Prof. Smith is famous for his eccentric life style.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| cranky | rising | |
| grumpy | rising | |
| irritable | rising | |
| grouchy | rising | |
| cantankerous | rising | |
| unreasonable | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- crank1, shaky2, testy2, ratty2, tippy2, techy2
- 6 letters
- tender2, grumpy2, touchy2, snarky, tetchy
- 7 letters
- cracked1, rickety3, grouchy2, peckish, bilious3, peevish2
- 8 letters
- perverse2, scratchy2, petulant3, choleric3
- 9 letters
- eccentric3, irritable4, irascible4, fractious2, crotchety3
- 10 letters
- capricious3
- 12 letters
- unreasonable4, cantankerous4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (shaky2 = 2 syllables).