wrinkle

12 synonyms for wrinkle, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A small crease or fold in an otherwise smooth surface, especially skin or fabric.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

line

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

purse crisp seam

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

crease furrow rumple crumple ruckle crinkle scrunch scrunch up

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A small crease or fold in an otherwise smooth surface, especially skin or fabric.

“She noticed new wrinkles around her eyes when she smiled.”

line purse crisp seam crease furrow rumple crumple ruckle crinkle scrunch scrunch up

2. verb

To form small creases or folds in something.

“The shirt wrinkled badly after being packed in the suitcase.”

crinkle ruckle rumple scrunch crisp crumple purse furrow crease

How to use wrinkle

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

iron out the wrinkles a wrinkle in the plan anti-wrinkle cream

Etymology

This word came into English via Middle English wrinkle or wrynkel (“crease, fold, wrinkle”), from the related verb. It is cognate with Dutch wrinkel (“wrinkle, crease”). Compare also Middle English runkel (“wrinkle”), from Old Norse hrukka (“wrinkle”), from Proto-Germanic *hrunkwǭ (“wrinkle, crease”), which also gave F...

Full origin of wrinkle →

Frequently asked questions

What does “wrinkle” mean?

The word “wrinkle” means a small crease or fold in an otherwise smooth surface, especially skin or fabric. In plain terms, a small crease in skin or fabric, or a minor problem that still needs fixing.

How do you pronounce “wrinkle”?

“Wrinkle” is pronounced RIHNGKL (/ˈɹɪŋkl̩/ in IPA).

How do you use “wrinkle” in a sentence?

Here is “wrinkle” used in a sentence: “She noticed new wrinkles around her eyes when she smiled.”

What part of speech is “wrinkle”?

Depending on how it is used, “wrinkle” can be a noun and a verb.

How many meanings does “wrinkle” have?

“Wrinkle” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small crease or fold in an otherwise smooth surface, especially skin or fabric.

Related words

unwrinkled wrinkle-free wrinkly

People also searched

line purse crisp seam crease scrunch ruckle crinkle crumple furrow rumple

Nearby words

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