crinkled

IPA/ˈkrɪŋ.kəld/
IPA/ˈkrɪŋ.kəld/

crinkled — adjective

  • crinkledpositive
  • more crinkledcomparative
  • most crinkledsuperlative

1. Describes a surface such as paper, thin fabric, or delicate skin that has many s

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

Describes a surface such as paper, thin fabric, or delicate skin that has many small, thin lines or folds, usually because it has been pressed, folded, dried out, or affected by age.

Example

Mei-Lin put on a cotton dress that was badly crinkled after sitting in her suitcase all week.

badly crinkled — collocation for degree

The old photograph was yellow and crinkled around the edges from years of storage in a hot attic.

Common collocations
  • crinkled paper
  • crinkled fabric
  • crinkled skin
  • crinkled edges
  • crinkled leaves
  • crinkled wrapping paper
  • badly crinkled
  • slightly crinkled
Synonyms
  • wrinkled

    More common for skin, clothing, or fabric; 'wrinkled' is the general term, while 'crinkled' is more specific to fine, delicate lines

  • creased

    Refers to a single sharp fold line, not the many small irregular lines that 'crinkled' describes

  • crumpled

    Used for paper or fabric pressed roughly into a ball, creating heavy irregular folds

Antonyms
  • smooth

    A surface without any lines, folds, or bumps

  • flat

    Even and level, without raised or indented lines

  • ironed

    Made smooth by the use of an iron

Grammar Patterns

crinkled + noun

Usage Note

Common in everyday descriptions of paper, fabric, or skin affected by folding, heat, or age. For a single sharp fold, use 'creased' instead (e.g., 'a creased trouser leg'). For skin on the face describing an emotion, 'wrinkled' or 'crinkled' are both possible, but 'crinkled' often connotes delicacy or warmth.

Common Mistakes

The crinkled dress looked elegant and smooth.
The crinkled dress looked messy and needed ironing.
'crinkled' describes unwanted small folds, not a desirable texture.
He wore a crinkled suit to the wedding.
He wore a wrinkled suit to the wedding.
'wrinkled' is more natural for clothing that has lost its press; 'crinkled' is better for fine, all-over texture on thin materials.

crinkled — verb

crinkled — noun

Word family

  • crinkle
    verbB1
  • crinkle
    nounB2
  • crinkly
    adjectiveB2
  • crinkling
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Crinkled describes a surface covered with many small, fine lines or folds, typically on paper, thin fabric, or delicate skin (e.g., crinkled wrapping paper or crinkled skin around the eyes). Wrinkled is the broader, more common term for unwanted lines on skin, clothing, or any fabric (e.g., a wrinkled shirt after a long flight, or wrinkled hands in old age). Creased refers to a single sharp line where something has been deliberately folded or pressed (e.g., a creased trouser leg from ironing). Crumpled describes paper or fabric that has been roughly pressed or twisted into a ball, creating heavy, irregular folds (e.g., a crumpled receipt at the bottom of a bag). Choose crinkled for fine, all-over texture; wrinkled for general age or carelessness; creased for deliberate sharp lines; and crumpled for chaotic, balled-up material.

wrinkled ↗creased ↗crumpled ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • badly crinkled
  • slightly crinkled
  • delicately crinkled
  • finely crinkled

Phrases

  • crinkled up
  • all crinkled

Prepositions

  • crinkled around the edges
  • crinkled at the corners
  • crinkled with age
  • crinkled from the heat

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'crinkled' comes from the verb 'crinkle', which first appeared in English in the late 16th century. 'Crinkle' is believed to be a frequentative form — a verb that suggests repeated or continuous action — related to the Old English 'cringan', meaning 'to yield, bend, or fall in battle'. The idea of bending or yielding gradually shifted to describe thin materials developing many small bends or folds. By the 19th century, 'crinkled' was widely used for paper, fabric, and delicate skin.

First known use

1600

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