crooked

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

Synonyms of crooked

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

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

Ron Leibman and Paul Sand round out their gang, with Zero Mostel as the crooked attorney who serves as a go-between. —Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026

Descend its famously crooked path, flanked by cascading hydrangeas and storybook Edwardian homes—then watch cars zigzag through eight tight switchbacks while tourists crowd the sidewalks, snapping photos of its surreal descent. —Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026

Byrne and Dumars get drawn into a conspiracy surrounding a colossal stash of illicit money, which is coveted by cartel leaders and crooked cops alike. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2026

DePaul, which had a terrible record in that season and was the underdog in all three contests, didn't cover the spread in the first halves, so the allegedly crooked bets paid off. —Arkansas Online, 20 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see crook entry 2

First Known Use

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