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

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 fawn jumps at Officer Roy, who scoops the baby deer up, catching it in the crook of his arm. — Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 22 June 2026 The tenant shoved the crook out of the apartment and into the hallway. — Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 1 June 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
  • Data that appears to be compliance information to a regulator can appear to be a target list to a criminal.
    — Susie Violet Ward, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The Colorado attorney general oversees more than 700 attorneys and staff and manages legal manners spanning consumer protection, civil rights, criminal, water, constitutional and environmental law.
    — Jesse Sarles, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of criminal
Noun
  • Netflix’s decade-plus run of TV dominance means Wall Street and others judge it on an unforgiving curve, and when issues crop up — like this last stretch of mediocre ratings — folks are going to take notice.
    — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 16 July 2026
  • Investors will still take note of Treasury moves, but volatility should be watched at the short end of the curve (a year or two), rather than at the long end (10- and 30-year Treasuries).
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 July 2026
Definition of curve
Verb
  • Meta has moved to overturn a Los Angeles jury’s landmark verdict finding Instagram and Facebook are negligently designed to hook young users, after a 20-year-old woman won $6 million in damages.
    — Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • Because platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok prioritize fast, engaging short-form video, clips can hook viewers instantly and drive significantly more organic reach than traditional posts.
    — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of hook
Noun
  • Independence Day celebrations come in the most challenging threat environment since 9/11, with the ongoing terror threat, a rise in political violence and continuing fears about lone-wolf offenders, according to Raia.
    — Luke Barr, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • There were also concerns listed in the analysis that the registry, which dates back to 1947, could include LGBTQ+ offenders from decades ago who were convicted of offenses that are no longer crimes.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of offender
Noun
  • Voros kept one camera permanently stationed at the highest point of the surrounding hillside; the early episodes are built on stark, isolating compositions where a single figure is dwarfed by snowcapped peaks and river bends.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2026
  • Then, somewhere between the vines and the first bend in the path, the art begins to appear.
    — Natalie Stoclet, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of bend
Verb
  • Iris van Herpen incorporated plasma into her final look, Helix Nebula, through two glass tubes arching around the shoulders of the dress.
    — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 10 July 2026
  • When the rain cleared, a rainbow arched above the New York skyline.
    — Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026
Definition of arch
Noun
  • The famed physicist’s revolutionary general theory of relativity debuted in 1915, positing that gravity can be understood as objects falling along the curvature of spacetime.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 8 July 2026
  • The large 55-inch display gives you plenty of screen real estate, and the 1000R curvature wraps around your eyes for unparalleled immersion.
    — George Yang, PC Magazine, 3 July 2026
Definition of curvature
Noun
  • For almost all of these races there is a charitable angle, a way to buy a spot outside the normal lottery, application or qualification process.
    — Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • The looping, dipping shot by Uzbekistan’s Eldor Shomurodov from an improbably tight angle was voted best goal of the first round.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026
Definition of angle

Phrases Containing crook

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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 17 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crook

Nglish: Translation of crook for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crook

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