Crabby: meaning, definitions and examples

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crabby

 

[ ˈkræbi ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

feeling

bad-tempered and irritable

Synonyms

cranky, grumpy, irritable, moody.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
crabby

Often used informally to describe someone who is frequently in a bad mood or easily annoyed.

  • She's always so crabby in the mornings before her coffee
grumpy

Used to describe someone who is consistently in a bad mood, often for no clear reason.

  • He becomes grumpy whenever it rains
irritable

Used in more formal situations to describe someone who gets annoyed or angry easily, often due to stress or discomfort.

  • She felt irritable after working long hours without a break
cranky

Informal and usually used to describe someone who is temporarily in a bad mood due to lack of sleep or hunger.

  • The baby is cranky because he missed his nap
moody

Refers to someone whose mood changes frequently and unpredictably. It can suggest a deeper emotional instability.

  • He's a bit moody, sometimes he's happy and other times he's quite sad

Examples of usage

  • She's always so crabby in the mornings.
  • He gets crabby when he's hungry.
Context #2 | Adjective

appearance

resembling a crab, especially in being sideways or crosswise

Synonyms

angular, crosswise, sideways.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
crabby

Use this word to describe someone in a bad mood or easily annoyed. It has a negative connotation.

  • She gets crabby if she doesn't have her morning coffee.
  • His crabby attitude ruined the party.
crosswise

This word is often used to describe something positioned or moving in a direction that is perpendicular or diagonal to another. It is mainly used in descriptions of spatial arrangements.

  • She cut the vegetables crosswise.
  • The roads intersect crosswise at that point.
sideways

This word is used when something moves or is positioned to the side, rather than forward or backward. It can also be used metaphorically to indicate a change in direction or strategy.

  • The car slid sideways on the icy road.
  • He glanced sideways to see if anyone was watching.
angular

This word is often used to describe shapes, objects, or even people with sharp angles or defined features. It is more technical or descriptive.

  • The modern chair had an angular design.
  • Her angular face made her look striking.

Examples of usage

  • The boat had a crabby appearance due to its design.

Translations

Translations of the word "crabby" in other languages:

🇵🇹 irritado

🇮🇳 चिड़चिड़ा

🇩🇪 mürrisch

🇮🇩 pemarah

🇺🇦 дратівливий

🇵🇱 drażliwy

🇯🇵 怒りっぽい

🇫🇷 grincheux

🇪🇸 gruñón

🇹🇷 huysuz

🇰🇷 짜증내는

🇸🇦 عصبي

🇨🇿 mrzutý

🇸🇰 mrzutý

🇨🇳 暴躁的

🇸🇮 razdražljiv

🇮🇸 pirraður

🇰🇿 ашулы

🇬🇪 გაბრაზებული

🇦🇿 hirsli

🇲🇽 gruñón

Etymology

The word 'crabby' is believed to have originated from the Old English word 'crabb,' meaning harsh, rough, or austere. Over time, it evolved to describe someone who is bad-tempered or irritable. The association with crabs may come from the sideways and crosswise movements of crabs, reflecting the sideways appearance of someone who is crabby.

See also: Crab, crabbiness.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #37,373, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.