curly

1 of 2

adjective

ˈkər-lē How to pronounce curly (audio)
curlier; curliest
Synonyms of curlynext
1
: tending to curl
also : having curls
curly hair
2
: having the grain composed of fibers that undulate without crossing and that often form alternating light and dark lines
curly maple
curliness noun

curliness

2 of 2

noun

curl·​i·​ness
ˈkər-lē-nəs
plural -es
: the quality or state of being curly

Synonyms of curly

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of curly in a Sentence

Adjective She has curly hair and blue eyes. The dog's tail is curly.
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.
Adjective
Best leave-in treatment Whether your hair is straight, curly, or wavy, this leave-in scalp treatment is perfect for delivering lasting itch relief and rich hydration to strands. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 July 2026 For fine hair argan oil is ideal, while thick hair and curly and coily hair work better with heavier oils like castor or coconut oil. — Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 July 2026 Another sign that your hardneck variety is ready for harvest is paying attention to the garlic scapes, which are the long, curly shoots. — Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 5 July 2026 Her signature curly locks were down and perfectly coifed despite the intense heat the day brought. — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for curly

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of curly was in 1598

Phrases Containing curly

Rhymes for curly

See All Rhymes for curly

Browse Nearby Words

curl up
curly
curly birch
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Curly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curly. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

curly

adjective
ˈkər-lē How to pronounce curly (audio)
curlier; curliest
: tending to curl
also : having curls
curly hair
curliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on curly

Nglish: Translation of curly for Spanish Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All