curled; curling; curls
1
: to form into coils or ringlets
curl one's hair
2
: to form into a curved shape : twist
curled his lip in a sneer
3
: to furnish with curls
1
: a lock of hair that coils : ringlet
2
: something having a spiral or winding form : coil
4
: a curved or spiral marking in the grain of wood
5
: a hollow arch of water formed when the crest of a breaking wave spills forward
6
: a usually short pass pattern in football in which a receiver runs downfield and then curves back toward the line of scrimmage
7
: a body-building exercise in which a weight held with the palms facing up is raised and lowered by flexing only the wrists or elbows
Examples of curl in a Sentence
Verb
She curls her hair every morning.
Can you curl your tongue?
The baby's fingers were tightly curled.
The snake curled itself around its prey.
The cat curled into a ball and went to sleep.
We saw smoke curling from the cottage chimney.
A snake curled around his leg.
Noun
Her daughter has cute blonde curls.
She likes to wear her hair in curls.
The conditioner will help you keep the curl of your hair.
His hair has a natural curl.
He did 12 wrist curls.
Recent Examples on the Web
Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 10 May 2025
The musician completed the look with bombshell platinum blonde hair, which was curled into light rings.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 6 May 2025
Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 13 May 2025
The Leave-In Conditioner delivers weightless hydration and frizz control, allowing curls and coils to retain moisture and definition throughout the day.
—Essence, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for curl
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Verb
As the aphids feed on the new leaves and twigs, leaves curl and twigs twist in response to aphid feeding on the sap.
—Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 10 May 2025
The musician completed the look with bombshell platinum blonde hair, which was curled into light rings.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 6 May 2025
Noun
Pickens is one of the league’s best go-ball receivers and has feasted on hitches, curls and comebacks.
—Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 13 May 2025
The Leave-In Conditioner delivers weightless hydration and frizz control, allowing curls and coils to retain moisture and definition throughout the day.
—Essence, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for curl
Cite this Entry
“Curl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curl. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
curl
1 of 2 verb1
: to form into or grow in coils or ringlets
curled her hair
2
: to take or move in a curved form
smoke curling from the chimney
Biographical Definition
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