as in trick
an odd or peculiar habit
her one crotchet is a fondness for eating cookies while soaking in the tub
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of crotchet
Think outside the box All book collectors develop distinctive crotchets.
—
Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
The origins of brackets — once referred to as crotchets, crooks, or hooks — are a mystery.
—Sarah Fay, Longreads, 17 Mar. 2020
Among his other crotchets was an aversion to bare canvas.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 7 May 2018
Maxine attended to his every whim and crotchet, never lost faith in his brilliance or potential, and delighted in surrounding him with exactly the sort of frivolous company his wife abhorred.
—Sadie Stein, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2017
Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
The origins of brackets — once referred to as crotchets, crooks, or hooks — are a mystery.
—Sarah Fay, Longreads, 17 Mar. 2020
Among his other crotchets was an aversion to bare canvas.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 7 May 2018
Maxine attended to his every whim and crotchet, never lost faith in his brilliance or potential, and delighted in surrounding him with exactly the sort of frivolous company his wife abhorred.
—Sadie Stein, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crotchet
Noun
-
Old dog learns new tricks UConn forward Alex Karaban, who played on the 2023 and ’24 champions, is attempting to become the first non-UCLA player to win three national championships.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The brain bug's intrinsic ick factor is undeniably high, but using their proboscises to suck thoughts directly from the brains of their unfortunate victims is a pretty neat party trick.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Iran’s military said Saturday that Iraq would be exempt from shipping restrictions in the trait, opening the potential of as much as 3 million barrels a day of Iraqi oil cargoes.—
Arsalan Shahla,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The cooperative birth behavior may reflect ancient evolutionary traits in toothed whales — and evidence of complex social cooperation beyond primates.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The interface of the desktop website version includes key mission milestones and characteristics about the moon, including information about landing sites during the Apollo era.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Hegseth exhibits those characteristics, and our soldiers finally have someone to follow.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The interactive Olaf can speak and engage in conversations, and his mannerisms and characteristics are spot on.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Nor does Thomas, with all his erudition and vatic mannerisms, manage to have with his son anything close to the loving, reciprocal relationship that Max has with Emmie.—
Hannah Gold,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Hosta’s spreading habit complements the elegant, upright shape of hydrangeas.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Cox expects gas prices will need to be inflated for six months or more for any notable increase in consumer buying habits for EVs, officials said during a call on March 25.—
Sam Meredith,Michael Wayland,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Brooks is still wont to assume that social crises are a function of our personal habits, not economic or political injustice, and his methodological tics are the same as ever.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The incident sparked a firestorm of anger, much focussed on the BBC for not removing Davidson’s tic from its broadcast.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Colorado Rockies are rolling out a lineup of new food offerings ahead of Opening Day, featuring everything from oversized hot dogs to inventive twists on classic ballpark staples.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Character names fade, plot twists dissolve, but the enjoyment of the moment remains.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The finding provides a long‑sought explanation for a bizarre quirk in the parasite’s biology that has confounded scientists for 40 years.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
-
But my biggest quirk was my obsession with music.—
Des Moines Register,
Des Moines Register,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crotchet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crotchet. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
