crinkle

1 of 2

verb

crin·​kle ˈkriŋ-kəl How to pronounce crinkle (audio)
crinkled; crinkling ˈkriŋ-k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce crinkle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to form many short bends or ripples
b
2
: to give forth a thin crackling sound : rustle
crinkling silks

transitive verb

: to cause to crinkle : make crinkles in

crinkle

2 of 2

noun

1
2
: any of several virus diseases of plants marked by crinkling of leaves
crinkly adjective

Examples of crinkle in a Sentence

Verb The corners of his eyes crinkle when he smiles. a paper seat cover that crinkles with every move Noun little crinkles at the corners of his mouth showed whenever he smiled
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Bright acidity and minerality in the mouth, as well as crinkling texture and lush red fruit in this generous wine. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 They’re crinkled to reflect the light, making the medals shine. John Leicester, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2024 There wasn’t much to cover themselves with, just a square Mylar blanket that crinkled to the touch. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2024 Frosted On crinkling open the bag of Magic Spoon’s Frosted I was greeted with a strong, chemical aroma. Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 4 Jan. 2024 Madewell crinkled button-up shirt Agolde Drew relaxed T-shirt Raey split-back denim skirt Mango ballerina shoes with velvet bow The Cherry Red Cardigan With a Wide-Leg Leather Pant This affordable minimalist outfit combines two of our favorite fall trends: cherry red and chic cardigans. Laura Jackson, Vogue, 20 Sep. 2023 In many ways, these bottle-breaking videos are the antithesis to ‘traditional’ ASMR videos — the ones that are defined by soft, gentle noises; a scratch of nails, a whispering voice, or crinkling paper. Shaeden Berry, refinery29.com, 20 July 2023 Those still remaining were crinkled and leathery — a telltale symptom of a parasitic worm wreaking havoc in forests stretching from Maine to Virginia. Rich Schapiro, NBC News, 6 Aug. 2023 The Isabel Marant ones have such a massive tongue that my pants crinkle up above them in an attractive way. Tara Gonzalez, Harper's BAZAAR, 13 June 2023
Noun
The multi-sensory toy crinkles and jingles and keeps cats engaged with a catnip filling that our cat loved. Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 What's on the menu at Layne's Layne's meals are built around chicken fingers (in regular or spicy), Texas toast and crinkle fries. The Arizona Republic, 10 Feb. 2024 Why not get the best of both worlds with these hybrid crinkle cookies. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2023 The strawberries also make crinkle noises when chewed on, which makes our test cats go crazy with excitement. Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 This polyester coverlet is lightweight and buttery soft, and the crinkle design does a nice job of adding some interest and texture. Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2024 But those disasters are hardly mistakes, and every drip, whoosh, splotch, and crinkle adds to the sprawling intrigue contained in each work. Grace Edquist, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2023 Just be sure to have some tissue or crinkle paper on hand to add to the inside. Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 7 Dec. 2023 This year’s class is especially dazzling, with chewy gingerbread blondies, buttery lemon swoops and spicy hot chocolate crinkles, to name a few. New York Times, 17 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crinkle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English crynkelen; akin to Old English cringan to yield

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crinkle was in 1596

Dictionary Entries Near crinkle

Cite this Entry

“Crinkle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crinkle. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

crinkle

1 of 2 verb
crin·​kle ˈkriŋ-kəl How to pronounce crinkle (audio)
crinkled; crinkling -k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce crinkle (audio)
1
: to form or cause little waves or wrinkles on the surface
2

crinkle

2 of 2 noun
crinkly adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on crinkle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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