Crankiness: meaning, definitions and examples

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crankiness

[ˈkræŋkiˌnəs ]

Definitions

^{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?

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?

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.

Interesting Facts

Psychology

Feeling cranky can be linked to lack of sleep, stress, or hunger – our emotions are often affected by our physical state.
Certain personality traits, like neuroticism, can increase the chances of experiencing crankiness.
Research shows that negative feelings, such as crankiness, can be contagious among groups of people.

Historical Origins

The term 'crank' has roots in the 17th century, related to the word 'crank' meaning odd or strange, which evolved into the term for being irritable.
Crankiness has been documented in literature since the 1800s, often used to describe characters in a comedic or exaggerated manner.
In older English, 'crank' described a physical condition of being twisted or distorted, paralleling how the mood feels when someone is cranky.

Pop Culture

Cranky characters, such as Oscar the Grouch from 'Sesame Street', highlight how crankiness can also be funny and relatable.
Movies often depict cranky characters transforming after a journey or experience, showcasing the potential for mood change.
In cartoons, the exaggeration of crankiness is a common trope, providing comedic relief through slapstick humor.

Health

Chronic crankiness can be a sign of underlying health issues, such as depression or anxiety, indicating the need for professional help.
Regular exercise and healthy eating can greatly reduce feelings of crankiness by enhancing mood and energy levels.
Mindfulness practices, like deep breathing or meditation, have been shown to decrease crankiness by promoting relaxation.

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

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.

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