curly

1 of 2

adjective

ˈkər-lē 

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

curliness

2 of 2

noun

curl·​i·​ness

ˈkər-lē-nəs

plural -es

: the quality or state of being curly

Synonyms of curly

Adjective

• curled
• wavy

Examples of curly in a Sentence

Adjective

She has curly hair and blue eyes.

The dog's tail is curly.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The Zapata brothers, jovial and welcoming, both had thick, curly black hair with streaks of gray. — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Meir presented a how-to video for curly-haired spacewomen like herself, while Hathaway kept his bushy mustache — a space rarity — groomed to perfection. — Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

Charismatic, handsome and crowned with a mop of curly dark-blond hair, Gortner springboarded from his appearance in the documentary to a prolific acting career that included roles in 15 feature films and more than 20 TV series. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026

Half-up, half-down goddess braids One of the classic ways to keep your box braids out of your face, half-up, half-down hairstyles, which are especially stunning on curly goddess styles. — Eden Stuart, Allure, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing curly

• curly brace
• curly bracket
• curly-coated retriever
• curly endive
• curly top

Rhymes for curly

• burley
• burly
• girlie
• girly
• hurly
• pearly
• surly

Kids Definition

curly

adjective

ˈkər-lē 

curlier; curliest

: tending to curl

also : having curls

curly hair

curliness noun