What does crinkle mean?
Word: Crinkle
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Crinkle means to make or get many small creases or folds, especially in paper, cloth or skin.
Synonyms: pucker
How do you spell crinkle?
Syllables: crin - kle
Tricky part: The word ends in le, as in little, not el or al: crinkel and crinkal are wrong.
Watch out for: crinkel, crinkal
Memory tip: Think of a crinkly crisp packet: the word finishes with le, just as little and table do.
Crinkle in a sentence
Example 1: Ammi's eyes crinkle at the corners whenever she smiles.
Example 2: The dry leaves crinkled under our feet in the park.
Example 3: Old photographs crinkle if they are left in the sun.
Fun Fact
Crinkle has been in English since the 1300s and is related to cringe; both go back to an old word meaning 'to bend'.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
crinckle
a) c
b) n
c) k
d) r
Show answer
a) c. The k sound in the middle is written with a single k, with no c in front of it.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
c_i_kle
a) r, m
b) h, n
c) r, n
d) l, n
Show answer
c) r, n. Say it aloud: cr as in crisp, then the short in sound of pin before the kle.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word crinkle as used in the sentence:
Try not to crinkle the certificate when you slide it into your school bag.
a) laminate
b) frame
c) smooth
d) crease
Show answer
d) crease. To crinkle paper is to crease it in many small lines; smoothing would do the opposite.
Spell-o-Spell
One of these words is misspelt. Choose what it means.
1. crinkle 2. parcel 3. tissue 4. ribben
a) something wrapped up to be sent or given
b) a narrow strip of cloth used to tie things or to decorate them
c) to form small folds or creases
d) thin, soft paper
Show answer
b) a narrow strip of cloth used to tie things or to decorate them. Ribbon ends in on, not en; crinkle, tissue and parcel are spelt correctly.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. When a sheet of paper crinkles, it ____.
a) turns yellow and brittle with age
b) tears neatly into two halves
c) forms many small folds and lines
d) soaks up water and goes soft
Show answer
c) forms many small folds and lines
2. Which sound is most like a crinkle?
a) a temple bell ringing
b) a tap dripping into a bucket
c) a crisp packet being squeezed
d) a drum being beaten
Show answer
c) a crisp packet being squeezed
