corrugated
Americanadjective
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of corrugated
First recorded in 1585–95; corrugate ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective; corrugate ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb
Explanation
Corrugated means molded into tight ridges and valleys. You've probably seen corrugated cardboard or corrugated metal roofs. Materials are put into a corrugated shape to ensure elasticity and strength — cardboard boxes hold their shape because the cardboard is reinforced with a corrugated layer inside the two flat pieces. To remember corrugated, think about corduroy pants — which also have ridges and valleys. If you're lucky enough to have had ribbon candy, that's corrugated as well.
Vocabulary lists containing corrugated
Born a Crime
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
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50 Great Words from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
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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.
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
The affected dormitory had shattered windows, blackened walls and a crumpled corrugated iron roof, an AFP journalist saw.
From Barron's ● May 28, 2026
Her detailed, beautifully lighted paintings, of humble industrial scenes of corrugated ductwork, draped construction tarps and snaking wires, elevate these humble, utilitarian objects into tactile formal experiments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
Insulation from the global natural-gas shock benefits not just household bill payers but also manufacturers of everything from steel and plastics to fertilizer and corrugated boxes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 8, 2026
When we finally reach Casse, a brown and dusty, dirt-street market town made of wood and corrugated metal, Farmer feeds me Cokes.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
