CRANING Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

craning

verb

present participle of crane

as in lifting

to move from a lower to a higher place or position craned her head to see the roof

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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 craning Most of the attendees crammed along the fences, craning their necks and holding their phones aloft on their tiptoes. — Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026 One of my first memories of any kind is sitting on my parents’ bedroom floor, craning my neck to watch the ’91 World Series on the old TV atop their dresser. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 22 July 2026 Giraffes are some of the most recognizable creatures on earth, with their towering height and craning long necks. — Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 18 July 2026 Everyone knew the story, though Andrew’s relatives were more reluctant to speak of it, to even mention the cult’s name — Synanon — craning their necks to see if any members of her family were close enough to overhear their speculations. — Shyla Watson, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026 In a video shared on X, Hargitay could be seen craning her head while trying to look around a referee. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 11 June 2026 Beyond the glass, across a small rocky strip of water, the zoo’s eldest giraffe is craning his impossibly long, elegant neck up to a hanging basket of foliage and methodically stripping the branches of their bark. — Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 11 May 2026 Joshua appeared as surprised as any of us, craning around as if the words had been blurted by someone on the periphery. — Chang-Rae Lee, New Yorker, 3 May 2026 This flexible holder attaches easily to your seatback tray table and adjusts to multiple angles, allowing for hands-free viewing without craning your neck. — Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for craning

Verb

Wealthier boomers aged into the 75-and-older bracket between surveys, lifting its median.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
China has opened much of its financial sector to foreign firms since 2018, gradually lifting foreign ownership caps on services such as securities, futures and fund management.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of lifting

Verb

Those officers were not wearing body cameras, raising questions about why the agency still hadn't gotten the cameras out to officers in the field.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Similar federal lists in other states have proved highly inaccurate, raising concerns that eligible voters could be disenfranchised.

— Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of raising

Verb

And the entirety of Valkyries’ culture invested in hoisting her on their pedestal.

— Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
The Coast Guard released video footage earlier this week showing rescue swimmers saving people from the choppy water and hoisting them into helicopters hovering above.

— David Goodhue October 2, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of hoisting

Verb

From elevating beds to expanding sections to sliding walls and even entire roofs, these 10 homes transform to get maximum use out of a compact space.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
Holland was ousted in 2020, when Sarandos combined English-language and international content under Bajaria (elevating the latter to the largest autonomous content job in the streamer’s history).

— Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of elevating

Browse Nearby Words

cranes

craning

cranium

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“Craning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/craning. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of craning

verb

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