crease

1 of 2

noun

1
: a line, mark, or ridge made by or as if by folding a pliable substance
2
: a specially marked area in various sports
especially : an area surrounding or in front of a goal (as in lacrosse or hockey)
creaseless adjective

crease

2 of 2

verb

creased; creasing

transitive verb

1
: to make a crease in or on : wrinkle
a smile creased her face
2
: to wound slightly especially by grazing
creased by a bullet
creaser noun

Examples of crease in a Sentence

Noun He ironed his pants to make the creases sharp. a crease in the paper tiny creases at the corners of his eyes Players from the opposing team may not enter the crease. The batsman moved out of the crease. Verb a neatly creased pair of pants The pages of the book were stained and creased. She looked up, her face creasing into a smile.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
While ingredients like retinoids, peptides, and vitamin C can all help make deeper wrinkles appear more shallow (building up your skin’s collagen will help smooth wrinkles out from the inside out), hyaluronic acid is often seen as a go-to choice for creases and folds. Emily Orofino, Allure, 29 Oct. 2024 The car's two-tone seats also have several different material panels, all with creases and cracks, which catch and want to keep an inordinate amount of crumbs if the kids are eating something like donuts or pretzels. Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
Verb
Remove all contents to prevent imprinting, then lightly stuff the bag with acid-free tissue paper to prevent creasing and help retain the bag’s shape. Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Nov. 2024 More to Know: Crafted from carbon steel with rounded silicone pads, this creates a natural-looking curl without creasing, tugging, or breakage. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for crease 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably alteration of earlier creaste, from Middle English creste crest

First Known Use

Noun

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1588, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crease was in 1578

Dictionary Entries Near crease

Cite this Entry

“Crease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crease. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

crease

1 of 2 noun
1
: a line or mark made by or as if by folding or wrinkling
2
: a specially marked area around the goal in various sports (as hockey or lacrosse)

crease

2 of 2 verb
creased; creasing
1
: to make a crease in or on
2
: to become creased

Medical Definition

crease

1 of 2 noun
: a line or mark made by or as if by folding a pliable substance (as the skin)

crease

2 of 2 verb
creased; creasing

transitive verb

: to make a crease in or on
aging had creased her face

More from Merriam-Webster on crease

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!