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)
Synonyms of crinklenext

intransitive verb

1
a
: to form many short bends or ripples
b
: wrinkle
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
: wrinkle, corrugation, pucker
2
: any of several virus diseases of plants marked by crinkling of leaves
crinkly
ˈkriŋ-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce crinkle (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of crinkle

Relevance

Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
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.
Verb
Borage is a gorgeous plant, with showy blue blooms and crinkled, gray-green leaves. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026 There’s a word in Chinese, shuang 爽, which to me has always looked a bit like a person so blissed out their eyes are crinkled. — Lavender Au, The Dial, 30 June 2026
Noun
These wide-leg pants are made from crinkle fabric that naturally moves with your body. — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026 Hands close around the Spalding, crinkle-fold the cereal bag. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crinkle

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

Rhymes for crinkle

See All Rhymes for crinkle

Browse Nearby Words

crink
crinkle
crinkleawn
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crinkle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crinkle. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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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
: rustle entry 1 sense 1

More from Merriam-Webster on crinkle

Nglish: Translation of crinkle for Spanish Speakers

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