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crooked 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkru̇-kəd How to pronounce crooked (audio)
Definition of crookednext
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

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2
as in fraudulent
given to or marked by cheating and deception the common belief that gambling casinos are often crooked businesses

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3
as in tilted
inclined or twisted to one side the photo on that wall is crooked

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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

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crooked

2 of 2

verb

past tense of crook
1
as in arched
to cause to turn away from a straight line crooked a finger

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2
as in rounded
to turn away from a straight line or course the road suddenly crooked to the left

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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
Adjective
Some Cardinals players were spotted in their dugout ahead of the game sporting crooked caps, and one player incorporated a slight hat-tilting motion into his post-hit celebration. — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026 The workers would be fined if their tails were dirty, their satin ears crooked. — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 3 Sep. 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
  1. curved
  2. fraudulent
  3. tilted
  4. dishonest
  5. arched
  6. twisted
  7. deceptive
  8. uneven
Adjective
  • The vast main deck could become a large salon, a stage, or auditorium, with terraces opening both to port and starboard, while curved staircases lead to balconies and private spaces above.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 25 Sep. 2026
  • With a gorgeous curved display, its domed screen is bright and easy to read from any angle in any light.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of curved
Adjective
  • But in the Epsilon case, the Department of Justice (DOJ) showed how that label was being used inside a business unit that worked with fraudulent clients.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The city alleges the nonprofit obtained a state grant through a fraudulent application and failed to properly notify officials or meet community-engagement requirements.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of fraudulent
Adjective
  • The tilted surfaces were mostly chosen to mimic raindrops in the real world.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • But analysts say risks to oil prices remain tilted to the upside.
    — , CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of tilted
Adjective
  • Central figure Prosecutors Clark and Juenger portrayed Noreus as a central figure in the diploma-mill operation rather than simply a school administrator who became entangled with dishonest recruiters and students.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Davis said that witnesses were dishonest about his character throughout the trial, including FBI agents and police officers who testified for the prosecution.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of dishonest
Verb
  • This is the oldest inhabited castle in Scotland, complete with turrets, arched windows and red stone walls.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 17 Sep. 2026
  • In subsequent images, Sweeney arched her back while laying on a basketball on the ground, slung a wooden baseball bat over one shoulder, and covered her body with a silver hockey stick.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of arched
Adjective
  • Other people were disappointed that the twisted churro, which was reportedly introduced in 2021, was being brought back and not the classic straight version that dates back to the 1990s — which only cost 99 cents.
    — Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The cars spiral over and under portions of the park’s multilevel escalator, and include four launches, an inverted dive loop, twisted pretzel loop, an inverted stall and other thrills, reaching speed of 72 mph.
    — Carole Horst, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of twisted
Adjective
  • That’s why Meta has agreed to pay up to eighteen billion dollars as part of a settlement over predatory and deceptive practices, and why Anthropic is paying writers and publishers (admittedly, pennies) in a copyright settlement.
    — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Some states have enacted laws requiring disclosures or restricting deceptive political deepfakes near elections.
    — Reed Williams, AJC.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of deceptive
Adjective
  • The donor area has limits, and removing too many grafts may leave it looking uneven or depleted.
    — Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Rapid magnetic changes, probe movement, or uneven fields can cause the system to lose this lock.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of uneven

Browse Nearby Words

crook
crooked
crookedness
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Cite this Entry

“Crooked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crooked. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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