CRANK (UP) Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

crank (up)

verb

Definition of crank (up)

as in to trigger

to cause to function crank up the CD player so we can dance

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for crank (up)

Verb

The Knicks won their first NBA championship since 1973 in June but owner James Dolan said shortly afterward the team would avoid spending enough to trigger the penalties that come when a team reaches the second apron of the salary cap.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
These primitive instincts are highly attuned to potential danger and are often triggered before our conscious mind registers that something isn’t right.

— Georgia Casey, Allure, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of trigger

Verb

Choose from heat mode or cool mode depending on the season, and then activate night mode for the quietest settings and a dimmer display.

— Cierra Cowan, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026
In order to promote its use, new ShipStation customers who choose to activate Ship with Walmart will be given a 20 percent discount on their annual subscription.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of activate

Verb

The killing of a woman in Okinawa has sparked an outcry across Japan and inflamed long-simmering tensions over the US military presence on the island.

— Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 7 Oct. 2026
The setback sparked wide speculation that Sánchez would move forward the general election and use the momentum on the housing issue against his right-wing opponents.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of spark

Verb

The reason for that is the unquenching market need for solid factual projects that can both be popular on linear channels and drive older viewers to streaming services.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
The urgency of their push comes as major European companies undergo huge job losses — Volkswagen plans to cut 100,000 workers — which experts have said could drive political upheaval.

— Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of drive

Verb

The buildout of artificial intelligence is driving investment in advanced semiconductors, servers and the sprawling data centers needed to power the technology.

— Staff, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Nuclear fusion attempts to copy the physical reactions that power the sun.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of power

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cranks (up)

crank (up)

cranky

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Style

“Crank (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crank%20%28up%29. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of crank (up)

verb

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