crinkly: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal to neutral; descriptive.
Quick answer
What does “crinkly” mean?
having many small folds or wrinkles.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
having many small folds or wrinkles; forming a series of short, irregular waves or bends.
Can describe physical textures (like paper or hair) or sounds (like a faint, crackling noise). Figuratively, it can describe someone with a wrinkled face, often implying old age or kindness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is very similar. 'Crinkly' is slightly more common in UK descriptions of hair (crinkly hair) and crisps/potato chips (crinkly crisps).
Connotations
Slight UK preference for describing benign, textured surfaces (e.g., crinkly foil, crinkly leaves). US usage is identical in meaning.
Frequency
Low-frequency in both varieties, but understood by all adult native speakers.
Grammar
How to Use “crinkly” in a Sentence
[be/look/feel] crinkly[have] a crinkly [texture/surface][make] a crinkly [sound]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “crinkly” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The old map began to crinkle at the edges.
- Her nose would crinkle when she laughed.
American English
- The foil will crinkle if you squeeze it.
- His forehead crinkled in confusion.
adverb
British English
- The paper curled crinkly at the burnt edge.
- The ribbon fell crinkly to the floor.
American English
- The plastic folded crinkly in my hand.
- Her hair dried crinkly in the humid air.
adjective
British English
- He had kind, crinkly eyes.
- She bought a bag of crinkly crisps.
- The gift was wrapped in crinkly cellophane.
American English
- Her hair was naturally crinkly, not curly.
- The leaves were dry and crinkly in the autumn sun.
- He handed me a piece of crinkly parchment.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possibly in packaging/textile descriptions.
Academic
Rare. May appear in descriptive botany or materials science.
Everyday
Most common. Describing hair, paper, facial features, food textures.
Technical
Specific contexts like geology (crinkly rock strata) or paper manufacturing.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “crinkly”
- Using 'crinkly' to mean crunchy (e.g., 'The toast was crinkly' is wrong).
- Overusing for negative wrinkles ('crinkly shirt' is odd; 'crumpled shirt' is better).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Generally positive or neutral. It describes a soft, often pleasing texture (crinkly hair) or a kind facial expression (crinkly eyes). It is less harsh than 'wrinkled'.
'Crinkly' implies small, often numerous folds (paper, hair). 'Wrinkled' is for skin or fabric with lines from age or pressure. 'Crumpled' means crushed into random creases (a crumpled ball of paper).
Yes, it can describe a light, crackling sound, like crinkling cellophane or dry leaves. However, the primary meaning is visual/tactile.
Yes. For people, it typically refers to skin around the eyes from smiling. For objects, it describes texture (paper, leaves, chips, fabric).
having many small folds or wrinkles.
Crinkly is usually informal to neutral; descriptive. in register.
Crinkly: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkrɪŋkli/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkrɪŋk(ə)li/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A crinkly smile (one that causes the eyes to wrinkle)”
- “Crinkly wisdom (humorous reference to the elderly)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the sound and feel of CRINKLing a piece of paper. The paper becomes crinklY.
Conceptual Metaphor
WRINKLES ARE MARKS OF EXPERIENCE/TIME (as in 'crinkly eyes from laughter').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'crinkly' LEAST appropriate?