wrinkles
wrinkles — noun
- wrinklessingular
- wrinklesesplural
1. One of the thin creases that form naturally on a person's skin, especially as th
One of the thin creases that form naturally on a person's skin, especially as they grow older or after many years of certain facial expressions.
Devika noticed new wrinkles around her eyes after spending a year working outdoors.
collocation: wrinkles around the eyes
Asher's grandmother had deep wrinkles on her face from a lifetime of sunshine and laughter.
collocation: deep wrinkles on the face
The dermatologist told Jiwoo that sunscreen helps prevent fine wrinkles from forming early.
Renata smiled warmly, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes became more visible.
Lakshmi uses moisturiser every night to reduce wrinkles on her hands.
- fine lines
a gentler term for very small, early wrinkles, common in skincare advertising
- creases
deeper, more pronounced wrinkles, often around the mouth or eyes
- crow's feet
informal term specifically for wrinkles at the outer corners of the eyes
文法句型
usually plural
用法筆記
Usually used in the plural form (wrinkles) when referring to skin lines, though the singular (a wrinkle) is also possible.
常見錯誤
2. A visible fold or crease on fabric, paper, or a smooth surface that has been ben
A visible fold or crease on fabric, paper, or a smooth surface that has been bent, pressed, or crumpled.
Minh ironed his cotton shirt to remove the wrinkles from the long flight.
collocation: remove wrinkles
The velvet curtains hung perfectly without a single wrinkle after being steamed.
Imani folded the silk dress carefully to avoid creating wrinkles during the move.
Ryan sat down slowly in his new suit to avoid wrinkles in the fabric.
Mira sprayed water on the tablecloth and tugged it flat to smooth out the wrinkles.
文法句型
usually plural
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (SKIN CREASES): this sense applies to materials and surfaces, not living tissue.
常見錯誤
3. A small problem or imperfection in a plan, system, or project that needs to be i
A small problem or imperfection in a plan, system, or project that needs to be identified and fixed.
The wedding plan was almost ready, but there were a few wrinkles with the caterer.
Andrei spent the morning dealing with the legal wrinkles in the new partnership agreement.
collocation: legal wrinkles in an agreement
The software worked well except for one small wrinkle with the user login system.
Walid said not to worry about minor wrinkles and to focus on the deadline.
Reuben helped the new intern iron out the wrinkles in her presentation before the meeting.
- glitch
a temporary technical problem, more common in computing
- hiccup
a very minor, short-lived problem
- teething problem
problems that appear when something new is first used
文法句型
usually used with 'iron out' or 'work out'
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural (wrinkles) or in fixed phrases like 'iron out the wrinkles'. The singular is rare in this sense.
wrinkles — verb
- wrinklespresent simple I / you / we / they
- wrinkleses3rd person singular
- wrinklesing-ing form
- wrinklesedpast simple
1. When skin, fabric, paper, or another surface develops small folds or lines, or w
When skin, fabric, paper, or another surface develops small folds or lines, or when someone or something causes it to do so.
The leather sofa will wrinkle over time if the room gets too much direct sunlight.
intransitive: material wrinkles naturally
Leaving her linen dress in the suitcase overnight caused it to wrinkle badly.
transitive: cause something to wrinkle
Hannah's skin wrinkles quickly in hot weather, so she always carries a bottle of water.
Reuben accidentally wrinkled his favourite cotton shirt by folding it while still damp.
The cheap polyester curtain wrinkled in the wash and never returned to its original shape.
- smooth
to make flat and even, removing folds
文法句型
something wrinkles
something wrinkles something else
用法筆記
Can be used transitively (e.g., 'The heat wrinkled the paper') or intransitively (e.g., 'This fabric wrinkles easily'). The intransitive use is more common with materials.
常見錯誤
2. To raise the skin of your forehead into lines as an expression of surprise, conf
To raise the skin of your forehead into lines as an expression of surprise, confusion, or deep thought.
Mira wrinkled her forehead when the professor used a term she had never heard before.
pattern: wrinkle + possessive + forehead
Felipe wrinkled his brow and stared at the board, unable to solve the maths problem.
pattern: wrinkle + possessive + brow
Liang wrinkled his forehead in confusion when the map showed an unfamiliar street name.
Yasmin wrinkled her brow and read the note again to make sense of it.
- furrow one's brow
more intense, suggesting worry or concentration rather than surprise
- knit one's brows
slightly old-fashioned; suggests frowning in thought or displeasure
文法句型
wrinkle + one's brow
wrinkle + one's forehead
用法筆記
The object is almost always 'brow' or 'forehead'. This sense is not used with general nouns like 'skin' or 'face'.
常見錯誤
3. To tighten the muscles around your nose, creating small folds in the skin, as a
To tighten the muscles around your nose, creating small folds in the skin, as a way of showing that you find a smell, taste, or idea unpleasant.
Shirin wrinkled her nose when she passed the fish market on a hot afternoon.
body language: reaction to a bad smell
Owen wrinkled his nose at the bitter taste of the cough syrup from the pharmacy.
The toddler wrinkled her nose and pushed the plate of broccoli away without a word.
Padma wrinkled her nose in disapproval when her brother suggested skipping the family dinner.
Hoa wrinkled her nose at the idea of eating raw seafood for the first time.
- screw up one's nose
more informal and emphatic British expression
- turn up one's nose
suggests snobbish rejection rather than simple disgust
文法句型
wrinkle + one's nose
用法筆記
The object is always 'nose'. Can be followed by 'at' to specify the trigger ('wrinkle one's nose at something/someone').