cranky

UK: /ˈkræŋki/ US: /ˈkræŋki/ ,(krang′kē)

Inflections of 'cranky' (adj):

crankier

adj comparative

crankiest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

crank•y¹ /ˈkræŋki/   adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

1. ill-tempered; grouchy:
   She's cranky when she doesn't sleep enough.
2. eccentric;
   erratic.
3. malfunctioning:
   a cranky, balky car.

crank•i•ly /ˈkræŋkəli/  adv.: 

She complained crankily.

crank•i•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

crank•y¹  (krang′kē), adj., crank•i•er, crank•i•est. 

1. ill-tempered;
   grouchy;
   cross:
   I'm always cranky when I don't get enough sleep.
2. eccentric;
   queer.
3. shaky;
   unsteady;
   out of order.
4. full of bends or windings;
   crooked.
5. British Terms sickly;
   in unsound or feeble condition;
   infirm.

• crank¹ + -y¹ 1780–90

crank′i•ly, adv. 
crank′i•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. crotchety, cantankerous, perverse.

crank•y²  (krang′kē), adj. [Naut.]

1. Nautical, Naval Terms crank² (def. 1).

• crank² + -y¹ 1835–45

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cranky / ˈkræŋkɪ/ adjective (crankier, crankiest)

1. eccentric
2. fussy and bad-tempered
3. shaky; out of order
4. full of bends and turns
5. unwell

ˈcrankily adverb

ˈcrankiness noun