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Synonyms

corrugate

American  
[kawr-uh-gayt, kor-, kawr-uh-git, -gayt, kor-] / ˈkɔr əˌgeɪt, ˈkɒr-, ˈkɔr ə gɪt, -ˌgeɪt, ˈkɒr- /

verb (used with object)

corrugated, corrugating
  1. to draw or bend into folds or alternate furrows and ridges.

  2. to wrinkle, as the skin or face.

  3. Western U.S. to make irrigation ditches in (a field).


verb (used without object)

corrugated, corrugating
  1. to become corrugated; undergo corrugation.

adjective

  1. corrugated; wrinkled; furrowed.

corrugate British  

verb

  1. (usually tr) to fold or be folded into alternate furrows and ridges

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. folded into furrows and ridges; wrinkled

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of corrugate

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin corrūgātus, past participle of corrūgāre, equivalent to cor- “with, together” + rūg(āre) “to wrinkle” + -ātus past participle suffix; see cor-, -ate 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The pulp and paper mill makes about 1,800 tons of unbleached paper and corrugate medium each day.

From Seattle Times ● May 10, 2023

That fluting is what gives a cardboard box its protective quality; without its flutes, corrugate wouldn’t be corrugate at all — it would just be containerboard.

From New York Times ● Nov. 28, 2022

A smartphone manufacturer might want 5,000 24-inch boxes with a light grade of corrugate strength.

From New York Times ● Nov. 28, 2022

The outer shipping box is 100% recyclable cardboard corrugate.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2020

The corrugate shapes of old harrowtroughs still faintly visible.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

On Saturday, firefighters were still clearing debris and removing collapsed corrugated metal roofing.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

Few companies will be immune to rising prices for corrugated boxes, which are used to move everything from produce to factory parts around the country.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

And staff are using corrugated metal sheets to create warm microhabitats where reptiles can be observed without disturbance.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

Inside, fire officials said, corrugated steel walls are filled with very dense foam that has been burning slowly and emitting gases despite ongoing water drops from helicopters.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026

I could go up onto the roof, but the corrugated tin burned my feet.

From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan

He invested in kraft vats, and when corrugating technology reached in America, he invested in that too, allowing him to produce bigger, stronger boxes capable of carrying heavier cargo, like sugar and coffee beans.

From New York Times ● Nov. 28, 2022

It showed both the remaining footage in the current order and the processing speed of the corrugating machine.

From New York Times ● Nov. 28, 2022

Beside me sat a man whose anxiety radiated from him in waves, like heat corrugating the air.

From New York Times ● Mar. 31, 2021

By corrugating the painting with Vs in relief, and painting each arm of the Vs separately, Agam can reveal two distinct acutely angled surfaces to viewers at the same time.

From Time Magazine Archive

This object is attained in the manufacture of Mr. Francis's boats by plaiting or corrugating the sheets of metal of which the sides of the boat are to be made.

From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 3, July, 1851 by Various

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