noun / verb
crinkle
KRING-kul/ˈkrɪŋkl/
A small wrinkle or fold, or to form one.
Small crinkles appear in the paper as she wraps the gift.
Etymology
Crinkle combines bending with an ending suggesting repeated action: a surface bends into a series of small folds. It shares its bending ancestry with cringe.
In context
… never, under any circumstances, press a hot iron directly to crepe, because it will crinkle and pucker …
More examples
- The corners of his eyes crinkle when he smiles.
- She smooths a crinkle in her sleeve.
- I crinkled the foil around the edge of the dish.
Forms
crinkle · crinkles · crinkled · crinkling
crinkly adjective — Covered with small wrinkles or folds.
Similar words
- wrinkle
- A broader term for folds in skin, fabric, or surfaces.
- crease
- Usually a sharper line made by folding or pressing.