crook 1 of 2

noun

Definition of crooknext
1
as in criminal
a person who has committed a crime a guy at the bar was raving about how all politicians are basically crooks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in curve
something that curves or is curved carried the baby in the crook of her arm

Synonyms & Similar Words

crook

2 of 2

verb

ˈkru̇k How to pronounce crook (audio)
1
as in to hook
to cause to turn away from a straight line crooked a finger

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to curve
to turn away from a straight line or course the road suddenly crooked to the left

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of crook
Noun
Magdalen, living with her mother’s relative, Captain Horatio Wragge, a small-time crook, becomes a successful actress. — Literary Hub, 24 July 2026 To my knowledge, Carney’s creator is neither crook nor salesman, but Whitehead can lay claim to those other two mantles. — Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Verb
The Charlotte Observer dived into the crowd, lifted our arms to reach faces and crooked our necks to chat with the crowd. — Charlotte Observer, 8 Dec. 2025 This is the best approach for stars whose characters have crooked, chipped or missing teeth. — Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for crook
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crook
  1. criminal
  2. curve
  3. hook
  4. offender
  5. bend
  6. arch
  7. curvature
  8. angle
Noun
  • Boxing is fun especially when the boxer in question is beating up criminals in East London.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Working together to track these flows would reduce the chance that international criminals can extend their reach beyond any single jurisdiction.
    — Alvin Camba, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of criminal
Noun
  • Classic cars are known for their curves, chrome and nostalgia.
    — Alexa Liacko, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Nike previously introduced its first full-length, visible Air Zoom unit with a curve on the Pegasus Premium, which released in early 2025 and hasn’t been well-reviewed.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of curve
Verb
  • Young adult dramas appear to have millions of us hooked right now.
    — Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026
  • One of the more memorable instances finds Cole grabbing an open padlock off a door and using it to belt an opponent across the face before hooking the shackle into the dude’s mouth and using it to rip open his cheek.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of hook
Noun
  • Hansen’s sentence was first reduced to 25 years to life, and the state later created a pathway to earlier parole for many youthful offenders serving life sentences.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
  • From names like ChatGPT and Gemini to Meta AI, Perplexity, and even Grok, the report identifies which chatbots are the most privacy-friendly and transparent in their practices and which are the worst offenders.
    — Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of offender
Noun
  • Villota 2021 Rioja Blanco Villota is in the Rioja Alavesa on a bend in the Ebro River and covers roughly half a square mile.
    — Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Their sole bend, near the end but against the wall, is anything but anatomical.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of bend
Verb
  • In the opposite direction, open the elbows wide, arching the back and lifting the chin to the sky.
    — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Engineers maintained extremely gentle gradients across long distances while using tunnels, channels, and arched bridges to cross uneven terrain.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of arch
Noun
  • McCoy lives with severe spinal curvature disorder and a chest protrusion caused by a childhood surgery.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • This cushion was designed by physical therapists to fit the curvature of your back.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 31 July 2026
Definition of curvature
Noun
  • Outdoor Experiences The city skyline is iconic from any angle, but experiencing it from the water delivers an exhilarating new perspective—and makes for a thrilling way to connect with fellow adventurers.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026
  • To keep the arrays from catching the wind like sails, engineers mount the solar panels at much flatter tilt angles than those used in typical ground installations.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of angle

Phrases Containing crook

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cronyism
crook
crooked
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Cite this Entry

“Crook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crook. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crook

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crook

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