crooked

adjective

crook·​ed ˈkru̇-kəd How to pronounce crooked (audio)
1
: not straight
a crooked road
Your tie is crooked.
2
: dishonest
a crooked election
crooked politicians
crookedly adverb
crookedness noun

Examples of crooked in a Sentence

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
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.
The radio-wavelength image shows that the black hole’s jet is not straight, but is crooked with three distinct bends. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 1 Aug. 2025 In one image, Scales, who had won a Military Cross for his bravery at the front, wears a crooked grimace that suggests recent anguish. Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 13 July 2025 The four-run eighth was a fitting bookend to a game that started with both teams putting crooked numbers on the board. Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 23 June 2025 There are all sorts of bad husbands in The Hunting Wives: Jed (Dermot Mulroney) is a horny oil tycoon with his eyes set on the governor’s mansion, Clint (Jason Davis) is a snobby reverend, and Jonny (Branton Box) is a crooked sheriff. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crooked

Word History

Etymology

see crook entry 2

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crooked was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Crooked.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crooked. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

crooked

adjective
crook·​ed ˈkru̇k-əd How to pronounce crooked (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on crooked

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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