弄皱
To wrinkle means to make small lines or folds in something like fabric or skin.
Explanation at your level:
You use wrinkle when clothes are not flat. If you sit on your shirt, you wrinkle it. It is not smooth anymore. You can also wrinkle your nose if you do not like a smell.
When you wash or fold clothes, you try not to wrinkle them. A wrinkle is a small line on the fabric. You might see wrinkles on a shirt that was in a suitcase for a long time.
Beyond laundry, we use wrinkle to describe skin or paper. It is a versatile verb. You might hear someone say, "My clothes wrinkle easily," which means the fabric is prone to creasing. It is a very useful word for describing texture.
In a professional context, wrinkle can mean a minor complication. If a project has a wrinkle, it is not a major disaster, but it is a detail that needs attention. This is a common metaphorical use in business English.
Advanced speakers use wrinkle to describe subtle changes in surfaces or even abstract concepts. You might describe the "wrinkled surface of a lake" or a "wrinkle in the legal contract." It adds a layer of descriptive precision to your language, moving beyond simple laundry-related tasks.
At the mastery level, wrinkle can be used to evoke imagery of age and experience. Literary descriptions might refer to a "wrinkled map of the world" or "wrinkled hands" to suggest history and wisdom. It is a word that carries both literal physical weight and deep metaphorical resonance in creative writing.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Wrinkle means to make lines on a surface.
- It is a regular verb.
- The 'w' is silent.
- Commonly used for laundry and metaphors.
When we talk about the verb wrinkle, we are usually describing the process of creating small, irregular lines on a surface. Think about a crisp, clean shirt that you accidentally leave in a pile on your chair; by the time you pick it up, it is covered in wrinkles.
It is not just for clothes, though! You can wrinkle your nose when you smell something bad, or your skin might show wrinkles as you get older. It is a very common, everyday word that describes a physical change in texture caused by folding or squeezing.
The word wrinkle comes from the Middle English word wrinklen, which is related to the Old English word wrincle. It has deep roots in Germanic languages, sharing a common ancestor with words that imply twisting or turning.
Historically, it was used to describe both the physical act of twisting fabric and the natural lines that appear on the skin. It is fascinating how the word has remained so stable in its meaning for centuries, always connecting the idea of twisting to the resulting crease.
In daily life, you will hear wrinkle most often in the context of laundry. We say, "Don't wrinkle your dress before the party!" It is a neutral term, used in both casual conversations with friends and more formal settings like fashion discussions.
You can also use it figuratively. If a plan has a "wrinkle," it means there is a small, unexpected problem that needs to be smoothed out. This usage is very common in business and project management environments.
1. Iron out the wrinkles: To resolve minor problems. Example: We need to iron out the wrinkles in our travel plan before we leave.
2. Wrinkle in time: A disruption in the flow of events. Example: The sudden rain felt like a wrinkle in time that ruined our picnic.
3. Wrinkle your nose: To show dislike or skepticism. Example: She wrinkled her nose at the strange-smelling soup.
4. Without a wrinkle: Perfectly smooth or problem-free. Example: The project went off without a wrinkle.
5. Wrinkle-free: A state of being smooth. Example: I bought a special spray to keep my shirts wrinkle-free.
As a verb, wrinkle follows standard conjugation: wrinkles (third-person singular), wrinkled (past tense), and wrinkling (present participle). It is a regular verb.
The pronunciation is /ˈrɪŋ.kəl/ in both British and American English. The 'w' is silent, which is a common pattern in English words starting with 'wr' like write or wrong. It rhymes with sprinkle, tinkle, and crinkle.
Fun Fact
The silent 'w' is a remnant of Old English spelling that was never updated.
Pronunciation Guide
Starts with a silent w, rhymes with sprinkle.
Very similar to the UK version, clear 'ng' sound.
Common Errors
- Pronouncing the W
- Missing the 'ng' sound
- Adding extra syllables
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
easy
easy
easy
easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Regular Verbs
wrinkle -> wrinkled
Examples by Level
Don't wrinkle my shirt.
do not make lines on
imperative
The paper is wrinkled.
has lines
adjective form
I wrinkle my nose.
move my nose
present tense
Do not wrinkle it.
avoid creasing
negative imperative
My shirt wrinkled.
got lines
past tense
Is it wrinkled?
is it creased?
question
She wrinkled the paper.
she crushed it
past tense
It will wrinkle.
it is going to crease
future tense
I hate it when my clothes wrinkle in the suitcase.
He wrinkled his forehead in confusion.
The fabric is designed not to wrinkle.
Please hang up the coat so it doesn't wrinkle.
The old map was wrinkled from years of use.
I saw her wrinkle her nose at the food.
The bed sheets are wrinkled.
You should iron the wrinkled shirt.
There was a small wrinkle in our travel plans.
The sun caused the surface of the water to wrinkle.
Her face began to wrinkle as she aged.
The contract had a few wrinkles that needed fixing.
Cotton fabrics tend to wrinkle more than synthetics.
He tried to smooth out the wrinkled document.
The heat caused the plastic to wrinkle.
Don't let a minor wrinkle ruin your day.
We need to iron out the wrinkles in the new policy.
The unexpected delay added a new wrinkle to the project.
His brow wrinkled as he pondered the difficult question.
The aging process naturally causes the skin to wrinkle.
The design team is working to remove the wrinkles from the prototype.
Even the best plans have a few wrinkles.
The fabric is wrinkle-resistant, which is great for travel.
The lake surface wrinkled in the gentle breeze.
The narrative had a strange wrinkle that kept the reader guessing.
Time seemed to wrinkle the very fabric of the reality they knew.
She watched the skin around his eyes wrinkle when he laughed.
The legal team identified a potential wrinkle in the merger agreement.
The landscape was wrinkled with deep valleys and ridges.
His brow wrinkled in deep concentration.
The proposal was accepted, despite a few minor wrinkles.
The artist depicted the old man with a face wrinkled by time.
The philosophical argument possessed a wrinkle that challenged established logic.
The parchment was wrinkled by centuries of storage in the damp vault.
She felt the years wrinkle her spirit, yet she remained resilient.
The geopolitical situation added a complex wrinkle to the peace talks.
The fabric of the universe itself seemed to wrinkle under the pressure.
His forehead wrinkled into a map of worry.
The strategy was flawless, save for one tiny, unforeseen wrinkle.
The antique photograph was wrinkled at the edges.
Common Collocations
Idioms & Expressions
"Iron out the wrinkles"
Resolve small problems
We need to iron out the wrinkles before the launch.
neutral"A wrinkle in time"
A strange disruption
The delay felt like a wrinkle in time.
literary"Wrinkle-free"
Without creases
This shirt stays wrinkle-free all day.
neutral"Not a wrinkle in sight"
Perfectly smooth
The plan was executed without a wrinkle in sight.
neutral"Wrinkle one's brow"
Show concern or confusion
She wrinkled her brow as she read the letter.
neutral"Wrinkle your nose at"
Show dislike
Don't wrinkle your nose at the vegetables!
casualEasily Confused
similar sound
crinkle is for thin materials
The foil crinkled.
similar meaning
crease is often a sharp line
He creased the paper.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + wrinkle + object
He wrinkled the paper.
Subject + wrinkle + preposition
She wrinkled her nose at it.
Word Family
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Related
How to Use It
7/10
Formality Scale
Common Mistakes
Wrinkle implies accidental or messy creasing, while fold is intentional.
The 'w' is silent, it starts with an 'r' sound.
Crinkle is specific to thin materials that make noise.
Usually used as countable when talking about skin or fabric lines.
It is a regular verb, so it needs the -ed ending.
Tips
Silent W
Remember the W is silent like in 'write'.
Ironing
Use 'wrinkle' when talking about laundry.
Word Web
Connect 'wrinkle' to 'iron' and 'smooth'.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
W-rinkle: W is silent, so just R-inkle, like a R-inkled shirt.
Visual Association
Imagine a shirt being crushed into a ball.
Word Web
Challenge
Find one thing in your room that is wrinkled and describe it.
Word Origin
Germanic
Original meaning: To twist or turn
Cultural Context
Can be sensitive when talking about someone's age or appearance.
Used frequently in marketing for anti-wrinkle creams and wrinkle-free clothing.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Laundry
- wrinkle-free
- iron out
- hang up
Business
- iron out the wrinkles
- minor wrinkle
Conversation Starters
"Do your clothes wrinkle easily?"
"Do you like to iron?"
"What do you do when a plan has a wrinkle?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you accidentally wrinkled something important.
How do you feel about aging and wrinkles?
Frequently Asked Questions
8 questionsYes, it ends in -ed for the past tense.
You don't! It is silent.
Yes, to describe skin or facial expressions.
Wrinkly.
It means to fix small problems.
They are similar, but crinkle is often used for thin materials like foil.
Yes, it means it has small issues.
It can be, so be careful!
Test Yourself
Please don't ___ my clean shirt.
wrinkle fits the context of clothes.
Which of these is a synonym for wrinkle?
crease means the same as wrinkle.
The 'w' in wrinkle is pronounced.
The 'w' is silent.
Word
Meaning
Matching synonyms and antonyms.
My shirt wrinkles easily.
Score: /5
Summary
Wrinkle is a versatile word for describing lines on fabric or skin, and it also describes small problems in a plan.
- Wrinkle means to make lines on a surface.
- It is a regular verb.
- The 'w' is silent.
- Commonly used for laundry and metaphors.
Silent W
Remember the W is silent like in 'write'.
Ironing
Use 'wrinkle' when talking about laundry.
Word Web
Connect 'wrinkle' to 'iron' and 'smooth'.
