Word
crooked
/ˈkɹʊkəd/
Definitions
01not straight
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. having bends or curves; not straight or even.
adj. physically bent, curved, or twisted; lacking a straight or symmetrical form.
“The old man walked with a crooked stick he found in the woods.”
“The narrow path followed a crooked line through the dense forest, winding around ancient trees and massive boulders.”
02tilted or uneven
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. not in the correct position; leaning to one side.
adj. positioned at an angle; not vertical, level, or square.
“The picture on the wall is crooked; please straighten it.”
“After the minor earthquake, several paintings in the gallery were left crooked, requiring the staff to spend hours realigning them.”
03dishonest
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
adj. dishonest or illegal, especially regarding money or power.
adj. morally or legally corrupt; engaging in fraudulent or deceptive practices.
“The city had to fire the crooked politician for stealing tax money.”
“The investigative journalist spent months uncovering the crooked dealings of the corporation's executive board.”
Synonyms
04grumpy
C2 · Proficiency Dialect
adj. feeling annoyed or in a bad mood.
adj. characterised by an ill-tempered or irritable disposition.
“Don't mind him; he's always a bit crooked before he has his morning coffee.”
“The locals knew to avoid the shopkeeper when he was in a crooked mood, as he was prone to sharp remarks.”
Teaching tip
This sense is primarily found in Newfoundland English; learners should use 'grumpy' or 'irritable' in standard contexts.
Real-World Examples
“In the same over, Abdullah Shafique's crooked bat resulted in an edge to Root at first slip.” “He takes on the might of the crooked West Yorkshire police and partly succeeds.” Etymology
From crook, equivalent to crook + -ed.
From Middle English croked, crokid, past participle of croken (“to crook, bend”). Cognate with Danish kroget (“crooked”). More at crook.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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