curlier; curliest
1
: tending to curl
also : having curls
curly hair
2
: having the grain composed of fibers that undulate without crossing and that often form alternating light and dark lines
curly maple
curliness noun

Examples of curly in a Sentence

She has curly hair and blue eyes. The dog's tail is curly.
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.
That’s a huge issue for folks who have curly or wavy hair, especially with curly and coily hair. Kat Merck, Wired News, 12 Aug. 2025 For the white woman, the long curly hair received lower ratings from the AI than the other three hairstyles it was compared to. Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025 Roan’s hairstylist, John Novotny, helped conceptualize and produce the material of the outfit made from 35 bundles of curly human hair, three lace closures and two wigs. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 9 Aug. 2025 In June, the actor shared a video on Instagram teasing his new look for The Terminal List 2, which included a long bushy beard, mustache and long curly hair. Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for curly

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of curly was in 1598

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Curly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curly. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

curly

adjective
curlier; curliest
: tending to curl
also : having curls
curly hair
curliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on curly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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