1
as in curved
marked by a long series of irregular curves
a long, crooked line of people had formed in front of the ticket booth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fraudulent
given to or marked by cheating and deception
the common belief that gambling casinos are often crooked businesses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tilted
inclined or twisted to one side
the photo on that wall is crooked
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in dishonest
marked by, based on, or done by the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
a crooked scheme to bill the government for medical services never performed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in arched
to cause to turn away from a straight line
crooked a finger
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rounded
to turn away from a straight line or course
the road suddenly crooked to the left
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 crooked
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
Uneven floating shelves, crooked backsplash tile, or inconsistent hardware can create suspicions.
—Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 17 Jan. 2026
CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
Her most unusual feature was her teeth, which were crooked in a way that reminded me of a spiral staircase.
—Literary Hub, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crooked
Adjective
And court arraignments are just the smallest part of a crooked trooper’s life.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
Uneven floating shelves, crooked backsplash tile, or inconsistent hardware can create suspicions.
—Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 17 Jan. 2026
Verb
Two days after the Knicks were booed frequently while trailing by 30 points in the first half of their 114-97 loss to Dallas, the scoreboard was crooked in their favor.
—CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
Her most unusual feature was her teeth, which were crooked in a way that reminded me of a spiral staircase.
—Literary Hub, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crooked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crooked
Adjective
-
In bandy, athletes on ice skates use curved sticks to try to shoot a small ball (not a puck) into the other team's net.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The rear bedroom comes to life through an inside-out ship hull-like design in which thin strips of contrasting wood visually separate the underlying birch into what appears like curved planks.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Some defendants are also accused of conspiring to bribe a civilian contractor to create fraudulent military IDs for base access.—
Steve Patterson,
Florida Times-Union,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Rivers used her professional connection with Event Décor Direct in Deerfield Beach to take money from the event decoration business over a three-month period in 2025, in part by making dozens of fraudulent transactions and credit card purchases, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Thursday.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Your stairs are nothing more than a narrow, tilted floor, much like a child’s slide at a playground.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
3 Jan. 2026
-
Paramount did not bargain for WBD to foster, whether intentionally or unintentionally, a tilted and unfair process.—
Julia Boorstin,Lillian Rizzo,Alex Sherman,David Faber,
CNBC,
4 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Erdoğan mocked these initiatives and described them as dishonest.—
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Even Americans who have grown habituated to Trump’s excesses have been shaken by these killings and the reflexively cruel and dishonest response from the administration.—
Hillary Rodham Clinton,
The Atlantic,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Engage your core so that your back is flat (not arched or rounded).—
Jenny McCoy,
Outside,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Long, arched hallways lead to the guest rooms, restaurants, castle-like lounge spaces, and even an ancient cloister from the former monastery.—
Hannah Chubb,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In this succession of adaptations, each filmmaker has gradually softened the original form—a dark and twisted story of obsession, generational trauma, and self-destruction—into something that more closely resembles a wild, cinematic love story.—
Cazzie David,
Vogue,
6 Feb. 2026
-
As the rising sun seeps through twisted mangroves, JP Clark’s fly fishing rod bends suddenly.—
Max Chesnes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This type of malware is often spread through fake software updates, malicious email attachments, compromised browser extensions or deceptive ads.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Bright sunshine on Sunday will be deceptive as highs will only reach the low to mid-20s.—
Steven Sosna,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Despite substantial investment, outcomes remain uneven, and access to alternatives is often constrained by income.—
Carol Platt Liebau,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Bets on economic resilience have recently fueled gains in companies that tend to benefit from improving growth prospects, the latest data underscored the uneven labor market characterized by limited numbers of overall dismissals and lackluster hiring.—
Rita Nazareth,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crooked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crooked. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
