crimp

1 of 4

verb (1)

crimped; crimping; crimps

transitive verb

1
: to cause to become wavy, bent, or pinched: such as
a
: to form (leather) into a desired shape
b
: to give (synthetic fibers) a curl or wave like that of natural fibers
c
: to pinch or press together (something, such as the margins of a pie crust) in order to seal
2
: to be an inhibiting or restraining influence on : cramp
sales had been crimped by credit controlsTime
crimper noun

crimp

2 of 4

noun (1)

1
: something produced by or as if by crimping: such as
a
: a section of hair artificially waved or curled
b
: a succession of waves (as in wool fiber)
c
: a bend or crease formed in something
2
: something that cramps or inhibits : restraint, curb

crimp

3 of 4

noun (2)

: a person who entraps or forces men into shipping as sailors or into enlisting in an army or navy

crimp

4 of 4

verb (2)

crimped; crimping; crimps

transitive verb

: to trap into military or sea service : impress

Examples of crimp in a Sentence

Noun (1) a small crimp in the dollar bill prevented it from being accepted by the bill changer made a tiny little crimp in the corner of the Queen of Spades the strike could put a real crimp in the production schedule
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
This would all be very sweet (sorry, not sorry, Fields), but there’s a crimp in the situation. Erin Qualey, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025 Yes, but: Truth Social's sales struggles aren't putting too much of a crimp in its stock price, which closed Friday at $30.39 per share. Dan Primack, Axios, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
Stocks tumbled on Monday as Wall Street braced for the impact of steep new tariffs ordered by President Trump, with mounting fears the new import duties could spark a trade war that could crimp corporate profits and dampen consumer spending. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2025 High interest rates, geopolitical tensions, and weakness in China, the region’s largest and most important economy, have crimped risk appetites across venture capital firms. 2024 proved to be even worse. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 7 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crimp

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Dutch or Low German krimpen to shrivel; akin to Middle Dutch crampe hook, cramp

Noun (2)

perhaps from crimp entry 1

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1712, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1718, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1789, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crimp was in 1712

Browse Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

“Crimp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crimp. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

crimp

1 of 2 verb
1
: to make wavy or bent
2
: to pinch or press together
crimp the edges of a pie crust

crimp

2 of 2 noun
1
: something produced by or as if by crimping
2
: something that holds back

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