How to pronounce crank
Say it like KRANGK. Crank is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce crank. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KRANGK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Crank pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KRANGKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of crank
American and British speakers say crank in essentially the same way: /kræŋk/ in the US and /kræŋk/ in the UK.
British respelling: KRANGK.
What does crank mean?
- a bad-tempered person
- a whimsically eccentric person
- an amphetamine derivative (trade name Methedrine) used in the form of a crystalline hydrochloride; used as a stimulant to the nervous system and as an appetite suppressant
- travel along a zigzag path“The river zigzags through the countryside”
- start by cranking“crank up the engine”
- rotate with a crank
- (used of boats) inclined to heel over easily under sail
Where does crank come from?
From Dutch or Low German krank, ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *krank, from Proto-Germanic *krangaz, *krankaz (“bent; weak”).
Words that rhyme with crank
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of crank.
Questions about saying crank
How do you pronounce crank?
Say KRANGK. The American pronunciation is /kræŋk/. In British English it is /kræŋk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in crank?
Crank is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KRANGK.
Do Americans and Brits say crank the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kræŋk/ and the British form is /kræŋk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.