crook 1 of 2

noun

Definition of crooknext
1
as in criminal
a person who has committed a crime a guy at the bar was raving about how all politicians are basically crooks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in curve
something that curves or is curved carried the baby in the crook of her arm

Synonyms & Similar Words

crook

2 of 2

verb

ˈkru̇k How to pronounce crook (audio)
1
as in to hook
to cause to turn away from a straight line crooked a finger

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to curve
to turn away from a straight line or course the road suddenly crooked to the left

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of crook
Noun
The first chink in the armor came when (human) crooks started assembling CAPTCHA farms. — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 The new restaurant will expand upon the whimsical backstory of Crafty Coyote — the pie-thieving crook from the nearby Knott’s Bear-y Tales dark ride who has hung up his outlaw ways to open the new eatery next door. — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
The Charlotte Observer dived into the crowd, lifted our arms to reach faces and crooked our necks to chat with the crowd. — Charlotte Observer, 8 Dec. 2025 This is the best approach for stars whose characters have crooked, chipped or missing teeth. — Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for crook
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crook
  1. criminal
  2. curve
  3. hook
  4. offender
  5. bend
  6. arch
  7. curvature
  8. angle
Noun
  • Boxing is fun especially when the boxer in question is beating up criminals in East London.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Working together to track these flows would reduce the chance that international criminals can extend their reach beyond any single jurisdiction.
    — Alvin Camba, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of criminal
Noun
  • Classic cars are known for their curves, chrome and nostalgia.
    — Alexa Liacko, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Nike previously introduced its first full-length, visible Air Zoom unit with a curve on the Pegasus Premium, which released in early 2025 and hasn’t been well-reviewed.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of curve
Verb
  • Young adult dramas appear to have millions of us hooked right now.
    — Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026
  • One of the more memorable instances finds Cole grabbing an open padlock off a door and using it to belt an opponent across the face before hooking the shackle into the dude’s mouth and using it to rip open his cheek.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of hook
Noun
  • Hansen’s sentence was first reduced to 25 years to life, and the state later created a pathway to earlier parole for many youthful offenders serving life sentences.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
  • From names like ChatGPT and Gemini to Meta AI, Perplexity, and even Grok, the report identifies which chatbots are the most privacy-friendly and transparent in their practices and which are the worst offenders.
    — Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of offender
Noun
  • The millionaire and his family can be seen rounding a bend in the street just yards behind her.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Courtesy Ravagnan's What makes this example particularly striking is its commanding position directly on the sweep of a bend on the Grand Canal.
    — Nielsen Dinwoodie, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of bend
Verb
  • In the opposite direction, open the elbows wide, arching the back and lifting the chin to the sky.
    — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Engineers maintained extremely gentle gradients across long distances while using tunnels, channels, and arched bridges to cross uneven terrain.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of arch
Noun
  • This theory predicted that the light from distant stars appearing very close to the sun's edge should shift due to the curvature of space.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The Samsung 32-inch Essential S3 sets a strong benchmark for budget big-screen value by pairing an immersive 1800R curvature with smooth 100-hertz refresh performance.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of curvature
Noun
  • Outdoor Experiences The city skyline is iconic from any angle, but experiencing it from the water delivers an exhilarating new perspective—and makes for a thrilling way to connect with fellow adventurers.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026
  • To keep the arrays from catching the wind like sails, engineers mount the solar panels at much flatter tilt angles than those used in typical ground installations.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of angle

Phrases Containing crook

Browse Nearby Words

cronyism
crook
crooked
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Cite this Entry

“Crook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crook. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crook

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crook

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