crooked

1 of 2

adjective

crook·​ed ˈkru̇-kəd 

1

: not straight

a crooked road

Your tie is crooked.

2

: dishonest

a crooked election

crooked politicians

crookedly adverb

crookedness noun

crooked

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of crook entry 1

Synonyms of crooked

Adjective

• curved
• twisted
• winding
• curving
• twisting
• serpentine

Examples of crooked in a Sentence

Adjective

a long, crooked line of people had formed in front of the ticket booth

the common belief that gambling casinos are often crooked businesses

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

For now, the crooked finger stays, and so does the jumper that comes with it. — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026

In 2025, romance scammers bilked ordinary men and women out of over a billion dollars using a variety of crooked tactics. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026

Its most recognizable feature is a small crooked line of stars led by Hamal, its brightest member. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Hang your porch swing crooked or prop scrap of wood across your windows to make it look boarded up. — Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see crook entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

crooked

adjective

crook·​ed ˈkru̇k-əd 

1

: having bends and curves

a crooked path

2

: not set or placed straight

the picture is crooked

3

: dishonest

a crooked card game

crookedly adverb

crookedness noun