cranks 1 of 2

noun

plural of crank
1
as in eccentrics
a person of odd or whimsical habits she's a bit of a crank, but still a good-hearted person

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crabs
an irritable and complaining person he's always a crank until he has his morning coffee

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in whims
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action his endless and unpredictable cranks made spending time with him exhausting

Synonyms & Similar Words

cranks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of crank
as in coils

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cranks
Noun
Many spent their days suspended from steel cables, raised and lowered along the mountainside by hand cranks. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026 In 2022, a group calling itself the America First SOS Coalition endorsed a slate of cranks and quacks who ran for secretary of state in 14 states, including the presidential battlegrounds of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026 Trump cranks heat on Warsh Friday’s comments show Trump resuming his pressure campaign against the Fed, which had eased since the appointment of Warsh, his handpicked successor to Jerome Powell. — Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026 Indeed, cranks and conspiracists on the American and British hard right now exist in happy symbiosis. — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026 The newer Schnierle hardware with which Wellhouse is working in the iCamper cranks this adjustability up considerably. — New Atlas, 24 July 2026 Casement windows swing out using cranks to open rather than sliding up or to the side on a track like standard windows. — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 17 June 2026 In 2018, the state legislature passed a law that outlawed the possession and sale of bump stocks, along with trigger cranks and devices that make the gun operate like an automatic weapon. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 23 Apr. 2026 In any case, the TM-B defining feature is the software that sits between the cranks and the motor, shaping the whole cycling experience. — ArsTechnica, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cranks
  1. eccentrics
  2. crabs
  3. whims
  4. coils
  5. nuts
  6. complainers
  7. notions
  8. winds
Noun
  • No documentarian has a better eye for intriguing oddballs than Errol Morris, who built his feature film career on drawing them out in conversation, from pet-cemetery owners in Gates of Heaven to small-town eccentrics in Vernon, Florida.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Dippold has populated the show with lovable eccentrics played by great character actors—Dale Dickey, Jeff Hiller, Tim Baltz.
    — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 18 June 2026
Definition of eccentrics
Noun
  • Past visitors include different types of tuna that have delighted sport fishers, and open-ocean red crabs that can change the poop color of birds that feast on them.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Tiny creatures like crabs and ants traveled huge distances, encountering all sorts of dangers—driven by the instinct to lay eggs and reproduce at any cost.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of crabs
Noun
  • But elevating the whims of progressive activists and government bureaucrats above the wisdom of the marketplace has proven a costly mistake and undermined consumer choice.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • This is hardly new, and scream queens, in particular, are often left to the whims of the internet.
    — Mariam Bagdady, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of whims
Verb
  • Refrigerator Coils The condenser coils responsible for keeping your appliance functioning become covered in dust over time.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 27 July 2026
  • Dry all surfaces completely and replace knobs, drip pans, and coils back on the stove.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 July 2026
Definition of coils
Noun
  • Some nuts also contain melatonin, which helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle.
    — Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Last year’s release was influenced by Mexican cuisine with a pulque finish, while this year looked to Ancient Egypt by giving the whiskey a finish in barrels seasoned with liqueur made from tiger nuts and black honey.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of nuts
Noun
  • Are they deluded into thinking that the complainers are just a squeaky wheel minority and the majority of fans are happy with it?
    — Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 13 July 2026
  • However, the Lakers are complainers to begin with and have always gotten a favorable whistle.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
Definition of complainers
Noun
  • But forget about any One Weird Trick notions of timing a flight purchase for a specific day of the week.
    — Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Then came the ‘70s and a spate of often schlocky but still unsettling films that married the two notions.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of notions
Verb
  • Southerly winds gusting at 30 mph late Monday could pose challenges to containing the fire.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Continue west and the road winds through meadows, aspen groves and small roadside pullouts before climbing to Ripple Creek Pass at 10,343 feet.
    — Joe Ruch, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of winds

Browse Nearby Words

crank out
cranks
cranks out
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Cite this Entry

“Cranks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cranks. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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