curl

1 of 2

verb

curled; curling; curls

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

1
a
: to grow in coils or spirals
b
: to form ripples or crinkles
bacon curling in a pan
2
: to move or progress in curves or spirals : wind
the path curled along the mountainside
3
4
: to play the game of curling

curl

2 of 2

noun

1
: a lock of hair that coils : ringlet
2
: something having a spiral or winding form : coil
3
: the action of curling : the state of being curled
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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Every so often, their legs curl and their spinnerets twitch—and the retinas of their eyes, visible through their translucent exoskeletons, shift back and forth. Carolyn Wilke, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Sep. 2023 Moving only at the elbow, curl your hand towards your shoulder. Cori Ritchey, Men's Health, 8 Sep. 2023 Coanda curling barrels, oval brush, paddle brush, concentrator, diffuser | Heat settings: 4 | Speed settings: 3 | Cord length: 8 ft. Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2023 Every so often, their legs curl and their spinnerets twitch — and the retinas of their eyes, visible through their translucent exoskeletons, shift back and forth. Carolyn Wilke, Popular Science, 6 Sep. 2023 James Johnson’s lips curled into a resolute half-smile partially covered by his salt-and-pepper mustache. Brandi Kellam and Louis Hansen, Virginia Center For Investigative Journalism At Whro, Essence, 5 Sep. 2023 In the 50th minute, Monaghan curled a shot toward goal that narrowly missed the frame. oregonlive, 2 Sep. 2023 To avoid overcooking the oysters, remove the soup from the hot burner as soon as the edges curl. 50 of 55 Shrimp Salad Rolls Shrimp only takes a couple of minutes to cook once your water is boiling. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2023 Avoid excessive downward brushing, as baby hairs are intended to be relatively short, curled, and positioned directly beneath your hairline. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 24 Aug. 2023
Noun
Her curls surrounded her and fell all the way down to her waist. Gabi Thorne, Allure, 29 Sep. 2023 This Week to hear more interesting facts about the evolution of curls and coils. Liz Clayton Fuller, Popular Science, 27 Sep. 2023 The curls lasted all day long and there was a nice variety with the types of curls that were produced. Enjanae' Taylor, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2023 Sydney Sweeney is making a serious case for the return of disco curls. Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 18 Sep. 2023 Her loose curls were pulled back into a half-updo that featured a fishtail braid at the roots. Jessica Booth, Peoplemag, 15 Sep. 2023 The wedding looked intimate and Elise wore a stunning gown with her hair pinned up in curls. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 11 Sep. 2023 As for her glam, Kate wore her hair in casually glamorous curls. Quinci Legardye, Harper's BAZAAR, 10 Sep. 2023 Type 4 curls can shrink when dried, so to determine if this is your curl pattern, give it a closer look when hair is wet and dried. Sabina Wizemann, Good Housekeeping, 8 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'curl.' 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, from crul curly, probably from Middle Dutch; akin to Old High German krol curly

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of curl was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near curl

Cite this Entry

“Curl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curl. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

curl

1 of 2 verb
1
: 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

curl

2 of 2 noun
1
: a lock of hair that coils : ringlet
2
: a spiral or winding form : coil
3
: the state of being curled
4
: a hollow place under the crest of a breaking wave

Biographical Definition

Curl

biographical name

Robert Floyd 1933–2022 American chemist

More from Merriam-Webster on curl

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