crinkle

1 of 2

verb

crin·​kle ˈkriŋ-kəl How to pronounce crinkle (audio)
crinkled; crinkling ˈkriŋ-k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce crinkle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to form many short bends or ripples
b
2
: to give forth a thin crackling sound : rustle
crinkling silks

transitive verb

: to cause to crinkle : make crinkles in

crinkle

2 of 2

noun

1
2
: any of several virus diseases of plants marked by crinkling of leaves
crinkly adjective

Examples of crinkle in a Sentence

Verb The corners of his eyes crinkle when he smiles. a paper seat cover that crinkles with every move Noun little crinkles at the corners of his mouth showed whenever he smiled
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
His face lit up, the eyes crinkled, the smile reached its widest, and the finger wagged at me again. Alok Sama, Fortune Asia, 17 Sep. 2024 Each scale features a different texture that crinkles or squeaks to keep those tiny minds occupied and curious about the world around them. Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 2 July 2024
Noun
With the exception of wool and alpaca, natural fibers are generally more likely to crinkle than synthetics. Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2024 Appropriate for newborns on up, babies will enjoy the baseball sound toy, basketball squeak toy, soccer ball crinkle toy, and football rattle. Maya Polton, Parents, 18 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for crinkle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crinkle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English crynkelen; akin to Old English cringan to yield

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crinkle was in 1596

Dictionary Entries Near crinkle

Cite this Entry

“Crinkle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crinkle. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

crinkle

1 of 2 verb
crin·​kle ˈkriŋ-kəl How to pronounce crinkle (audio)
crinkled; crinkling -k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce crinkle (audio)
1
: to form or cause little waves or wrinkles on the surface
2

crinkle

2 of 2 noun
crinkly adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on crinkle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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