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

Related Words

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
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 The Republican Party embraced neoconservatism; Buchanan and his cohort were the stewards of an ideology for cranks. — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026 These ideas have thrived through generations of cranks and propagandists and are now omnipresent. — Mike Rothschild, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026 But as with the dismantling of huge swaths of our research capacity, the original refusal to even consider this mRNA flu vaccine on what are obviously ideological grounds shows future potential for the FDA to affect a hell of a lot more people than just the cranks who agree with them. — The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 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
  • The meat is sweet, mild, and tender, and because fishermen remove only the claws before returning the crabs to the water, it’s also considered a more sustainable seafood choice.
    — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2026
  • More specifically, insects are invertebrates (animals without backbones) and are part of the arthropod phylum, which also includes spiders, crabs, and centipedes.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of crabs
Noun
  • The players are not responsible for the whims of their ownership.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Janse uses no-till farming on his fields — not plowing the soil, planting crops to cover the ground year-round and adding organic matter — to help cope with the whims of the weather as climate change triggers more extremes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 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
  • Most protein-rich plant foods, such as most beans, nuts and rice, are low in one or more essential amino acids.
    — Linda M. Boland, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Beans and lentils provide fiber, while tofu, nuts, and fatty fish provide unsaturated fats.
    — Lindsey DeSoto, HEALTH, 20 Aug. 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
  • The entire collection was made from the fabrics, trims, notions, and remnants that have accumulated at its studio over the years.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • De Fabeltjeskrant is designed to tap into both notions, restoring and distributing the original programming for the audiences who grew up with it and simultaneously rebuilding the property for children encountering its characters for the first time.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of notions
Verb
  • From there, the track winds through downtown, with drivers navigating turns on 9th Street, Constitution Avenue, 7th Street and Independence Avenue before making the final turn back toward the Capitol and the start-finish line.
    — Mike Stunson, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Park officials told Fox News Digital that the incident happened the afternoon of July 11, at Rimrocks along Going-to-the-Sun Road, a popular 50-mile scenic highway that winds through the mountainous park.
    — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 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 26 Aug. 2026.

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