crease

American  

[krees] / kris /

noun

creases plural

1. a ridge or groove produced in anything by folding, heat, pressure, etc.; fold; furrow.

2. a wrinkle, especially one on the face.

3. the straight, vertical edge or line produced in the front and back of trousers, especially men's trousers, by pressing, as with a steam presser or iron.

4. Ice Hockey. the marked rectangular area in front of each goal cage, into which an offensive player can skate only if that player has the puck, if the puck is already within the area, or if the goalie is absent.

5. Cricket.

   1. bowling crease.

   2. popping crease.

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verb (used with object)

creases, present (3rd person singular) creased, past participle, past creasing present participle

1. to make a crease or creases in or on; wrinkle.

   Synonyms:

   fold, furrow, pucker, crimp

2. to wound or stun by a furrowing or superficial shot.

   The bullet merely creased his shoulder.

verb (used without object)

creases, present (3rd person singular) creased, past participle, past creasing present participle

1. to become creased.

crease ¹ British  

/ kriːs /

noun

1. a line or mark produced by folding, pressing, or wrinkling

2. a wrinkle or furrow, esp on the face

3. cricket any three lines near each wicket marking positions for the bowler or batsman See also bowling crease popping crease return crease

4. ice hockey the small rectangular area in front of each goal cage

5. Also called: goal crease.  lacrosse the circular area surrounding the goal

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verb

1. to make or become wrinkled or furrowed

2. (tr) to graze with a bullet, causing superficial injury

3. slang (often foll by up) to be or cause to be greatly amused

crease ² British  

/ kriːs /

noun

1. a rare spelling of kris

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• creaser
  noun
• creaseless
  adjective
• creasy
  adjective
• uncreased
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• creases
  plural

Participles

• creasing
  present
• creased
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• crease
  simple
• creases
  simple
• have creased
  perfect
• has creased
  perfect
• am creasing
  progressive
• are creasing
  progressive
• is creasing
  progressive
• have been creasing
  perfect progressive
• has been creasing
  perfect progressive

Past

• creased
  simple
• had creased
  perfect
• was creasing
  progressive
• were creasing
  progressive
• had been creasing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will crease
  simple
• will have creased
  perfect
• will be creasing
  progressive
• will have been creasing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of crease

1400–50; late Middle English creeste, crest, apparently special use of crest

Explanation

A crease is a fold, wrinkle, or line, like the crease in your perfectly ironed pants or the worried crease in your dad's forehead when he sees you heading out into the snow without a hat and scarf. A crease can be straight and sharp — think of the creases in a folded paper airplane — or something more like a soft indentation, like the crease in your blankets telling you your cat was just there. It's a verb too: "If you lie on the floor, you'll crease your ball gown!" Etymologists guess that crease comes from crest and its root, which means "to turn or bend."

Example Sentences

During the procedure, an interventional radiology team makes a small incision near the crease of the leg.

From Science Daily • Jun. 23, 2026

But with the exiled skipper at the crease 275 miles away, stand-in captain Root began a typically masterful unbeaten 75 to take England's rearguard into the final day.

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026

Two wickets down, next to no runs on the board, Root striding down the steps and stretching at the boundary's edge before sprinting halfway to the crease.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Brind’Amour fully expected to have his goalies split time in the crease in the playoffs.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

I looked at the crease within her brow, newly carved since we had been deported.

From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys

Related Words

• crinkle
• pleat
• pucker
• wrinkle