crooked 1 of 2

Definition of crookednext
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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

crooked

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verb

past tense of crook

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
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
  • Play with the traditional French manicure and swap the curved tip for a heart shape.
    Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 31 Jan. 2026
  • It’s filled with curved desks arranged in rows, each equipped with multiple computer monitors.
    Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Investors in a fraudulent clean energy scheme might be one step closer to getting their money back, after the partner of a Chicago area businessman pleaded guilty to federal charges.
    Steffanie Dupree, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
  • In California alone, nearly a third of all community college applicants in 2024 were identified as fraudulent, according to the California Community Colleges, the state's administrative body for the community college system.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Jan. 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
  • Like the other characters in the book, Harper is a stock figure, the brainiac child, but her fearlessness in the face of a crumbling, dishonest world reinvigorates the type.
    Hannah Gold, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
  • The American public gained a negative impression of McCarthy–many seeing him as bullying, reckless, and dishonest.
    Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • Your chest should be upright and your torso should be slightly forward so that your back is flat and not arched or rounded forward.
    Jenny McCoy, SELF, 3 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • For the most part, Raimi is here to have sick, progressively more twisted fun.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Rihanna was the most famous beauty spotted, attending Christian Dior in side tendrils and a twisted bun.
    Essence, Essence, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Locked doors, bloody bits in trunks, deceptive lovers with ill intentions.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Even one of the more reputable internet weather personalities, Ryan Hall, whose YouTube channel staffs a team of meteorologists, and who has more than three million subscribers, often opts for flashy graphics and deceptive provocations to increase engagement.
    Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • While Beijing has rolled out trade-in subsidies to spur sales of cars and appliances, the rebound in spending has been uneven.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
  • More clients mean uneven cash timing.
    Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Crooked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crooked. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

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