crease

noun \ ˈkrēs \

Definition of crease

1 :a line, mark, or ridge made by or as if by folding a pliable substance

2 :a specially marked area in various sports; especially :an area surrounding or in front of a goal (as in lacrosse or hockey)

—

creaseless

play \ˈkrēs-ləs\ adjective

See crease defined for English-language learners

See crease defined for kids

Examples of crease in a Sentence

He ironed his pants to make the creases sharp.
a crease in the paper
tiny creases at the corners of his eyes
Players from the opposing team may not enter the crease.
The batsman moved out of the crease.

Recent Examples of crease from the Web

Clement found a crease between Chance Warmack (still at right guard for Brooks) and Lane Johnson and picked up about 13 yards.

— jeff mclane, Philly.com, "Eagles practice observations: New receiver look; mistakes abound during grueling session," 12 Aug. 2017
Many Asians, like myself, are born with a monolid, meaning there is no natural crease above the lash-line.

— Longreads, "My Mongolian Spot," 1 Aug. 2017
Some of the common physical traits, according to the National Down Syndrome Society, are low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes, and a single deep crease across the center of the palm of the hand.

— bob carlton, AL.com, "Meet Daniel, the ballroom dancer with a special gift," 20 July 2017
Gently rub your fingers up and down the inner elbow crease, where veins are closer to the surface and held in place by tendons and muscle.

— malia wollan, New York Times, "How to Draw Blood," 14 July 2017
Start with a nude base, then apply shadow a shade or two darker than the base to your crease and use your finger to blend the color up toward your eyebrow.

— the editors, Marie Claire, "45 Expert-Approved Beauty Tips to Hack Your Makeup Routine," 14 July 2017
Blend a bright pink shadow into the crease of your eye.

— brooke shunatona, Cosmopolitan, "11 Halloween Looks You Can Create With Makeup You Already Have," 30 June 2017
A slight crease flows from the outer edge of the headlight along the beltline, with another line from the front quarter to the rear quarter under the door handles.

— emma jayne williams, star-telegram.com, "VW Golf SEL, now the Wolfsburg, offers lots of standard amenities, safety features," 30 June 2017
This generation is set apart by a striking front end with sharper headlight clusters, narrower single-fin grille and steeply sloped hood with a deep crease leading up from the headlight/grille junction to the A-pillar.

— emma jayne williams, star-telegram, "VW Golf SEL, now the Wolfsburg, offers lots of standard amenities, safety features," 30 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crease.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of crease

probably alteration of earlier creaste, from Middle English creste crest

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1578

See Words from the same year

crease Synonyms

Synonyms

wrinkle, crimp, crinkle, furrow

Related Words

corrugation, layer, loop, plait, pleat, ply, pucker, seam, tuck; crow's-foot

Other Field and Goal Sports Terms

lateral, lax, overthrow, playbook, post, screen, scrum, secondary, ultimate

crease

verb

Definition of crease

creased; creasing

transitive verb

1 :to make a crease in or on :wrinkle

a smile creased her face

2 :to wound slightly especially by grazing

creased by a bullet

intransitive verb

:to become creased

—

creaser

noun

See crease defined for English-language learners

Examples of crease in a Sentence

a neatly creased pair of pants
The pages of the book were stained and creased.
She looked up, her face creasing into a smile.

Recent Examples of crease from the Web

A bigger yarn size means a thicker feel, a greater ability to crease and thus display sharp fades, and a more strenuous initial break-in period.

— jaclyn gallucci, Fortune, "This Is What You Get When You Spend $1,500 on a Pair of Jeans," 23 Aug. 2017
The hood opens up on either side, creasing like birds’ wings in the middle.

— hannah elliott, Bloomberg.com, "The New Mercedes-Maybach Concept Is a 20-Foot-Long Convertible," 19 Aug. 2017
The Prototype 9 expertly covers the spread between classic and modern, its body creases the result of modern machine technology and old-fashioned panel beating.

— davey g. johnson, Car and Driver, "The Body Electric: Infiniti’s 1930s-Inspired Prototype 9 Concept Is Great," 12 Aug. 2017
Tracey's dad creased his eyebrows into a sharp V. Her mum ungripped her wine glass, leaving a fat thumbprint on the rim.

— kate osana simonian, chicagotribune.com, "2017 Algren Award winner: "Le Problem Being" by Kate Osana Simonian," 10 June 2017
On the side come corners of lime, tiny wheels of Thai bad chiles with clinging seeds and Thai basil, to be creased between the fingers before tossing in.

— ligaya mishan, New York Times, "At Bep Ga in Chinatown, It All Begins With Chicken," 8 June 2017
READY FOR COACHELLA ?✨ tutorial for this rainbow glowy half cut crease perfect for festival season is now LIVE on my channel!

— kelsey stiegman, Seventeen, "This One Makeup Trick Will Make You Look Coachella AF," 12 Apr. 2017
The crepe is folded like a triptych, creased or cut in half and handed over still steaming.

— ligaya mishan, New York Times, "Finding the Joys of Jianbing Across New York," 20 Mar. 2017

First Known Use of crease

1588

crease Synonyms

Synonyms

wrinkle, crinkle, furrow, rumple

Related Words

collapse, crumple, double, fold

CREASE Defined for English Language Learners

crease

noun

Definition of crease for English Language Learners

: a line or mark made by folding, pressing, or crushing something (such as cloth or a piece of paper)
: a line or fold in someone's skin
the crease : an area around or in front of a goal in some games (such as hockey)

crease

verb

Definition of crease for English Language Learners

: to fold, press, or crush (something, such as cloth or a piece of paper) so that a line or mark is formed : to put a crease in (something)
: to make a line or fold in (someone's skin)

CREASE Defined for Kids

crease

noun \ ˈkrēs \

Definition of crease for Students

:a line or mark made by folding, pressing, or wrinkling

crease

verb

Definition of crease for Students

creased; creasing

:to make a line or lines in or on

I used an iron to crease my pants.

Judd's mom creased her forehead.
—Margo Sorenson, Firewatch

Medical Dictionary

crease

noun \ ˈkrēs \

medical Definition of crease

:a line or mark made by or as if by folding a pliable substance (as the skin)

crease

verb

medical Definition of crease

creased; creasing

transitive verb

:to make a crease in or on

aging had creased her face

intransitive verb

:to become creased

Learn More about crease

See words that rhyme with crease Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for crease Spanish Central: Translation of crease Nglish: Translation of crease for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of crease for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crease

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crease

Definition of crease

creaseless

From the M-W Editors

Examples of crease in a Sentence

Recent Examples of crease from the Web

Origin and Etymology of crease

crease Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Field and Goal Sports Terms

crease

Definition of crease

creaser

Examples of crease in a Sentence

Recent Examples of crease from the Web

First Known Use of crease

crease Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Phrases Related to CREASE

Related Phrases

CREASE Defined for English Language Learners

crease

Definition of crease for English Language Learners

crease

Definition of crease for English Language Learners

CREASE Defined for Kids

crease

Definition of crease for Students

crease

Definition of crease for Students

Medical Dictionary

crease

medical Definition of crease

crease

medical Definition of crease

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