as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
for sheer crookedness it would be hard to beat the used-car dealer who sold me that lemon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 crookedness
In a dicey moment when Orgon thinks that his secret crookedness might mean his family’s utter ruin, a messenger from the King arrives.
—
Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025
Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crookedness
Noun
-
This deception is slicker than a greased pig!—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Mar. 2026
-
One of the best seasons of the show so far, season 4 of HBO’s finance-world saga dialed the drama, deception, corporate-speak, stress, and moral ambiguity to the max.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Drama, deceit, and fierce gameplay are the hallmarks of each episode.—
Alison McDermott,
Architectural Digest,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Such deceit is incompatible with public service.—
Diana Paulsen,
ABC News,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
One Minnesota federal prosecutor last summer estimated that the total fraud across several programs could exceed $9 billion.—
STEVE KARNOWSKI THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
27 Feb. 2026
-
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, a home healthcare agency named Twin Cities Care Services received $116,000 in reimbursements over just two months in 2024, even though the business was busted eight years earlier for Medicaid fraud.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That cheating is rampant in our elections.—
TIME Staff,
Time,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Not every young person feels this type of cheating is wrong.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Perfidy — from the French perfidie via the Latin perfidia — means deceitfulness, treachery or a breach of faith or promise.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Over thousands of years of history, our propaganda has repeatedly sought to portray ourselves as the plucky underdogs, surviving against huge physical odds by marshaling our intelligence and native cunning against the brute forces of nature.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Holding viewers by the throat for a handful of strong beats, even as the script slips through the entire cast’s fingers, the devilish actor sells Besson’s interpretation on charisma and cunning.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crookedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crookedness. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
