1
as in criminals
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 curves
something that curves or is curved
carried the baby in the crook of her arm
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in bends
to cause to turn away from a straight line
crooked a finger
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in trends
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 crooks
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2026
The knife one of the crooks wielded was recovered at the scene and vouchered for evidence, cops said.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
But hopes that the punch was a wake-up call to the crooks.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026
Against Maduro and his crooks, who turn our country into a humanitarian crisis.
—David Unsworth, FOXNews.com, 3 Jan. 2026
The crooks of The Killing have pretty much anticipated everything — but the sheer unpredictability of human nature still destroys them.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
For early summer, there are beets with brown butter and poppy seeds, to dye gemelli a vibrant magenta; as fall approaches, green lentil ragù with roasted cherry tomatoes, to get caught in the crooks of cascatelli.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2025
For these two professional crooks, however, that means squaring their desire for an everyday home life with chasing big scores and brutal murder.
—Jesse Raub, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2025
Hopkins later gets shot while trying to apprehend the crooks and gets a visit from the ladies while in the hospital.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
Starring Dougray Scott, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Keith Allen and Adolescence breakout Amari Bacchus, the BBC’s adaptation is set in the secret school for crooks, where students, or Crooklings, are taught to perfect their skills to do good, bring balance, justice and order to the outside world.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2026
The knife one of the crooks wielded was recovered at the scene and vouchered for evidence, cops said.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
But hopes that the punch was a wake-up call to the crooks.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026
Against Maduro and his crooks, who turn our country into a humanitarian crisis.
—David Unsworth, FOXNews.com, 3 Jan. 2026
The crooks of The Killing have pretty much anticipated everything — but the sheer unpredictability of human nature still destroys them.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
For early summer, there are beets with brown butter and poppy seeds, to dye gemelli a vibrant magenta; as fall approaches, green lentil ragù with roasted cherry tomatoes, to get caught in the crooks of cascatelli.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2025
For these two professional crooks, however, that means squaring their desire for an everyday home life with chasing big scores and brutal murder.
—Jesse Raub, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2025
Hopkins later gets shot while trying to apprehend the crooks and gets a visit from the ladies while in the hospital.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crooks
Noun
-
Whatley said those policies threaten law enforcement officers and public safety, arguing that criminals belong behind bars and pledging to continue backing law enforcement.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The decisive action of the Mexican government is positive for families on both sides of the border who suffer the devastating consequences of the activities of these transnational criminals.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Don’t sleep on the dreamy lobby, perched high above the sea and featuring undulating wooden partitions that resemble the curves of coral reefs.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
-
This Madewell pair is made from high-quality denim with a subtle stretch to hug your curves and ensure all-day comfort.—
Jordan Julian,
InStyle,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
They’re also equipped with the brand’s Feel Good Flex outsole, which is ultra-lightweight and bends easily for convenient packing.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Gazes tangle, sound mutes, time bends.—
Addie Citchens,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Beyond Tuesday, the forecast trends much warmer and remains unsettled.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
When tensions are high or people are gloomy, the Dow tends to drop; when people sing a more positive tune, the Dow trends upward.—
Auzinea Bacon,
CNN Money,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Creuzot, a former state district judge and pioneer of diversion programs that steer low-level offenders from prison into rehabilitation programs, ran on his record.—
Gromer Jeffers Jr,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The offenders forcefully entered the home, in the 700 block of Rosewood Avenue, after one of them posed as a food delivery worker to gain access to the home, Winnetka police said.—
Pioneer Press,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Its outstanding appeal, grandish curvatures and extraordinary interior design are just the norm for the upscale interior brand.—
Marc D. Grasso,
Boston Herald,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Posture Changes Spine curvatures can make standing up straight difficult, causing lower right back pain.—
Brandi Jones,
Health,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Mark Lanier, a lawyer for the plaintiff, questioned Mosseri on Wednesday about whether Instagram chooses profits over the health and safety of minors and whether Mosseri oversees an app that hooks younger users.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The cat who reaches through the kennel bars and hooks a paw around your finger.—
Cathy M. Rosenthal,
San Antonio Express-News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
At the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, Commander Tommy Nester finds it behind the ceiling panels, brushes it off the uniforms that aren’t behind glass and sweeps it from the baseboards of the main hall.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
1 Mar. 2026
-
In just one week, a spectacular display of orbital mechanics will be visible to billions of people across the Americas, Asia, and Oceania, as Earth's shadow sweeps across the lunar disk, triggering the onset of an awe-inspiring 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crooks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crooks. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
