verb
crinkle
Crinkle (verb) means to squeeze or bend something so it gets small, uneven folds.
verb
1
To squeeze or bend something so it gets small, uneven folds.
"The old man's lined face crinkled into a smile."
"He crinkled the wrapper and threw it out."
2
To make a soft crackling sound, the way stiff fabric does when moved.
"The green wheat crinkles like a lake."
— John Townsend Trowbridge, Vagabonds and other poems (1908)
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Etymology
Came into English via Middle English crenclen ("to bend, buckle"), from Old English *crinclian, a frequentative form of Old English crincan ("to yield"), from Proto-Germanic *kringaną ("to turn, to fall, to yield"), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- ("to turn, wind"). It is cognate with North Frisian krenge, krönge ("to obtain, reach, attain") and Dutch krinkelen ("to turn, wind"), and is related to cringe.
Related words
Rhymes for crinkle
See all rhymes for crinkle →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of crinkle?
"crinkle" (verb) means to squeeze or bend something so it gets small, uneven folds.
What is another word for crinkle?
Other words for "crinkle" include wrinkle, crumple, scrunch, rumple, crease, crisp.
What are the different meanings of crinkle?
"crinkle" has 2 main meanings: 1. To squeeze or bend something so it gets small, uneven folds; 2. To make a soft crackling sound, the way stiff fabric does when moved.
