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Crankiness: meaning, definitions and examples

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crankiness

 

[ ˈkræŋkiˌnəs ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

feeling

Crankiness is a state of being easily irritated or annoyed, often characterized by a bad mood or short temper. It can result from various factors such as lack of sleep, stress, or discomfort.

Synonyms

grumpiness, irritability, testiness.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
crankiness

Used when someone is in a bad mood, often due to tiredness or discomfort. It carries a mild tone suggesting temporary annoyance.

  • The baby is showing some crankiness because it's past her nap time
irritability

Describes a tendency to be easily annoyed or angered. It's often used in situations where someone's mood affects their interactions with others.

  • His irritability might be due to stress at work
grumpiness

Refers to being irritable and bad-tempered, often used when someone is consistently not in a good mood.

  • Her grumpiness in the mornings is well-known among her colleagues
testiness

Conveys irritability with a sharper edge, indicating that someone might respond quickly and sharply to minor provocations. It can suggest a prickly personality.

  • He responded with surprising testiness when asked about the project deadline

Examples of usage

  • She woke up in a state of crankiness after a restless night.
  • His crankiness was evident as he snapped at everyone around him.
Context #2 | Noun

behavior

Crankiness can also refer to a behavior or attitude marked by a tendency to complain or find fault, often without reason. It can be perceived as being difficult to please or constantly dissatisfied.

Synonyms

cantankerousness, discontent, peevishness.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
crankiness

This word is used to describe a state of being irritable or in a bad mood, usually for a temporary period. It's often used for children or people who are tired or hungry.

  • The baby's crankiness was obvious after missing his nap.
  • She had a bout of crankiness after staying up all night to study.
cantankerousness

This term is used to describe someone who is bad-tempered and difficult to deal with, especially older people. It has a stronger and more persistent connotation of disagreement or irritability.

  • The cantankerousness of the old man made it hard for his neighbors to interact with him.
  • Her cantankerousness was legendary in the office; no one dared to ask her for help.
discontent

This word refers to a feeling of dissatisfaction or unhappiness with a situation, often related to circumstances rather than personality. It can have a broader societal implication.

  • The employees' discontent with the new policies led to a strike.
  • There was a general sense of discontent among the students about the new grading system.
peevishness

This is used to describe small, trivial irritability or annoyance. It often implies a consistent but mild state of being easily irritated by minor things.

  • His peevishness made it hard to have a pleasant conversation.
  • The child’s peevishness was evident when he didn’t get his way.

Examples of usage

  • Her crankiness towards the new policies was evident in her constant criticisms.
  • The boss's crankiness made it challenging for employees to approach him with ideas.

Translations

Translations of the word "crankiness" in other languages:

🇵🇹 irritabilidade

🇮🇳 चिड़चिड़ापन

🇩🇪 Reizbarkeit

🇮🇩 kekesalan

🇺🇦 дратівливість

🇵🇱 drażliwość

🇯🇵 苛立ち

🇫🇷 irritabilité

🇪🇸 irritabilidad

🇹🇷 sinirlilik

🇰🇷 짜증

🇸🇦 التهيج

🇨🇿 podrážděnost

🇸🇰 podráždenosť

🇨🇳 烦躁

🇸🇮 razdražljivost

🇮🇸 pirringur

🇰🇿 ашулану

🇬🇪 გაღიზიანება

🇦🇿 əsəbilik

🇲🇽 irritabilidad

Etymology

The word 'crankiness' originated from the Middle English word 'cranke', meaning 'sudden turn or twist'. Over time, it evolved to refer to a state of irritability or discontent. The term is often used colloquially to describe someone's irritable or grumpy mood.

See also: cranky.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #39,982, 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.