corrugate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to draw or bend into folds or alternate furrows and ridges.
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to wrinkle, as the skin or face.
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Western U.S. to make irrigation ditches in (a field).
verb (used without object)
adjective
verb
adjective
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
A smartphone manufacturer might want 5,000 24-inch boxes with a light grade of corrugate strength.
From New York Times ● Nov. 28, 2022
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
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
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The five-term senator said the categories of products receiving exemptions include corrugated paper cartons, plastic boxes, plastic bags, refrigeration and freezing equipment, packing and wrapping machinery, and seaweed and algae products.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
It is a maze of corrugated metal shacks and unpaved roads, close to Alexandra township.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
The digital age has crushed demand for newsprint and office paper, but e-commerce promised a golden era for corrugated boxes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
The corrugated steel walls are filled with very dense foam that is burning slowly and off-gassing despite ongoing water drops from helicopters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 20, 2026
In a garbage can under an arc light I found a clean corrugated paper carton and packed my city clothes.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
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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
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
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
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"I will, then," the detective declared, a gloomy frown suddenly corrugating his brow; and he stepped across to the screen which had been indicated to him, and quietly withdrew from view.
From Hand and Ring by Anna Katharine Green
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