crooked

adjective

crook·​ed ˈkru̇-kəd How to pronounce crooked (audio)
1
: not straight
a crooked road
Your tie is crooked.
2
: dishonest
a crooked election
crooked politicians
crookedly adverb
crookedness noun

Examples of crooked in a Sentence

a long, crooked line of people had formed in front of the ticket booth the common belief that gambling casinos are often crooked businesses
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.
Undeterred, many simply turn around and renew their northbound journeys, dodging criminals, crooked cops and Mexican immigration agents. Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024 The crooked cop doesn’t seem worried about his current situation. Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 4 Oct. 2024 Blue Water Creek cuts a crooked path through a broad valley, its waters still pristine. Tim Madigan, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024 This was made possible by his crooked judge father (M. Emmet Walsh, in his final role). Pete Hammond, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for crooked 

Word History

Etymology

see crook entry 2

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crooked was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near crooked

Cite this Entry

“Crooked.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crooked. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

crooked

adjective
crook·​ed ˈkru̇k-əd How to pronounce crooked (audio)
1
: having bends and curves
a crooked path
2
: not set or placed straight
the picture is crooked
3
: dishonest
a crooked card game
crookedly adverb
crookedness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on crooked

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!