What does "Crooked" mean?

Dishonest, corrupt, or involved in crime. Someone or something that is corrupt or criminal—not straight in their dealings.

How do you use "Crooked" in a sentence?

That politician is completely crooked. A crooked cop on the take. It's a crooked deal—don't trust them.

Crooked

Slang Term AmericanBritishAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Casual

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Meaning: Dishonest, corrupt, or involved in crime.

不诚实的、腐败的、涉及犯罪的。

Deshonesto, corrupto o involucrado en actividades delictivas.

不正な、腐敗した、犯罪に関わっている。

부정직한, 부패한, 범죄에 연루된.

Someone or something that is corrupt or criminal—not straight in their dealings.

腐败或犯罪的人或事物——做事不正当。

Alguien o algo que es corrupto o criminal, que no actúa de forma recta en sus tratos.

腐敗した、または犯罪的な人や物事。取引において「まっすぐ」ではない。

부패하거나 범죄적인 사람이나 상황—거래가 정직하지 않은.

Literal meaning: Not straight (metaphorical)

Examples

That politician is completely crooked.
那个政客完全是个贪官
Ese político es completamente corrupto
あの政治家は完全に腐敗している
저 정치인은 완전히 부패했다.
A crooked cop on the take.
一个收受贿赂的腐败警察
Un poli corrupto que acepta sobornos
賄賂を受け取る汚職警官
뇌물을 받는 부패 경찰이다.
It's a crooked deal—don't trust them.
这是个黑心交易，别信他们
Es un negocio sucio, no te fíes de ellos
インチキな取引だ、信用するな
사기 거래다—그들을 믿지 마라.

Pronunciation

/ˈkrʊkɪd/

Usage Guide

Context: corruption, dishonesty, crime

Tone: accusatory, critical

✓ Do Say

Crooked as they come.
坏到极点
Corrupto como el que más
この上なく不正だ
더할 나위 없이 부패한.
A crooked cop.
腐败警察
Un poli corrupto
悪徳警官
부패 경찰.
Crooked deal.
黑心交易
Negocio turbio
インチキな取引
사기 거래.

✗ Don't Say

Corrupt
Corrupt（腐败的）
Corrupt（Corrupto）
Corrupt（腐敗した）
부패한
Dishonest
Dishonest（不诚实的）
Dishonest（Deshonesto）
Dishonest（不正直な）
부정직한

Common Mistakes

Common universal term
Also used figuratively: 'crooked smile'

Origin & History

From 'crooked' meaning bent or not straight—metaphor for dishonesty.

Etymology: English metaphor, from bent/not straight

First recorded: 19th century

Cultural Context

Era: 19th century to present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Political scandals; Crime films; 'Crooked Hillary' political slang

Regional notes: Universal English term.

Variations

CrookedCrookCrooked as they come