curly
gb/kˈɚli/ us/kˈɚli/
A2
English
~ 9800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
having hair that forms curls
Having hair or fur that is not straight but makes many small round shapes.
Usage pattern:
[someone]/[something] has curly [hair/body part]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "curly," "wavy," and "frizzy." Use "curly" for clear round shapes in the hair, "wavy" for gentle curves, and "frizzy" when the hair looks dry and stands out in many small pieces. Also, "curly" is not capitalized unless it starts a sentence.
Synonyms
wavy (Describes hair with gentle waves, usually less tight and round than curly hair.)
|
kinky (Often used for very tight curls; can sound informal or sensitive in some contexts.)
|
frizzy (Hair that is very dry and fuzzy; can be curly but also suggests a rough, uncontrolled texture.)
Antonyms
straight (Describes hair that does not curl or wave.)
|
smooth (Emphasizes hair lying flat and even, without curls or frizz.)
Collocations
curly hair
|curly beard
|curly fur
|short curly hair
|thick curly hair
|big curly hair
Themes
appearance
|daily life
|body
|animals
Examples
- She has long, curly hair that bounces when she walks.
- His curly beard makes him look older than he is.
- The dog’s curly fur needs to be brushed every day.
- My hair gets very curly in the rain.
- The little boy has tight, curly curls all over his head.
Learner examples
- My sister has short, curly hair.
- The baby’s curly hair is very cute.
- I brush my curly hair every morning.
- Her curly beard makes her costume look real.
- This dog has soft, curly fur.
adjective
B1
property
2
having a curved, twisting shape
Having a shape with many curves and turns, not straight.
Usage pattern:
[something] is curly
Common mistake:
Learners may think "curly" is only for hair. It is also used for shapes, writing, animal tails, and things like "curly brackets" { } in math and programming.
Synonyms
wavy (Has smooth, wave-like curves; often less tight or complex than curly shapes.)
|
spiral (Emphasizes a coiled or twisting shape that goes around a center point.)
Antonyms
straight (Lacking curves or bends; used for lines, shapes, and writing.)
|
flat (Suggests little or no visible curve in the surface or line.)
Collocations
curly lines
|curly tail
|curly script
|curly brackets
|curly patterns
Themes
shape
|writing
|technology
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The pig’s curly tail wagged happily as it ran around the yard.
- She writes her name in big, curly letters that fill the whole page.
- He drew a long, curly line under the important sentence.
- In this code, you must close the function with curly brackets.
- The metal wire is shaped into a curly pattern around the mirror.
Learner examples
- The pig has a small, curly tail.
- Her handwriting is very curly and hard to read.
- He drew a curly line on the paper.
- Type a space after the curly bracket.
- The path on the map is curly, not straight.
adjective
informal
C1
property
3
difficult or tricky (informal)
In Australian and New Zealand English, describing a question or problem that is hard to answer or solve.
Usage pattern:
[something] is a curly [question/problem/one]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this informal, regional use is common everywhere in English. In fact, it is mainly used in Australian and New Zealand English and is not suitable for formal writing. In most other situations, "tricky" or "difficult" is preferred.
Synonyms
tricky (Very close in meaning; common in many varieties of English, not regional.)
|
tough (Suggests something is hard or demanding, sometimes more serious than "curly.")
Antonyms
easy (Describes something that does not require much effort or thought.)
|
simple (Emphasizes that something is straightforward and not complicated.)
Collocations
a curly question
|a curly one
|a curly problem
|that’s a bit curly
|things got curly
Themes
communication
|work
|slang
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- That’s a curly question; I’ll need some time to think about it.
- The interviewers saved their curliest questions for the end.
- It was a pretty curly problem, but the team managed to solve it.
- You might get some curly ones in the exam, so read each question carefully.
Learner examples
- That exam question was really curly.
- The teacher asked a curly one at the end of the class.
- This is a curly problem for our small team.
- Some of the test questions were a bit curly.
Grammar
Dictionary form
curly
IPA
GB/kˈɚli/
US/kˈɚli/
Syllables & stress
curly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (curly)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: curly
- Comparative: curlier
- Superlative: curliest
Word family
Forms
curlier
adjective
curliest
adjective
Core family
curl
noun A2
Related words
curler
noun
Negative and opposite forms
uncurl
verb
Advanced or less common
curliness
noun
Expressions
a curly one
1/ə kˈɚli wˈʌn/
fixed phrase
informal
a difficult or tricky question
In Australian and New Zealand English, a question or problem that is hard to answer or solve.
Examples
- That’s a curly one; I’m not sure anyone knows the answer.
- The interviewer ended with a real curly one about future technology.
- Students were surprised when a curly one appeared in the middle of the test.
curly brackets
1/kˈɚli bɹˈækɪts/
fixed phrase
technical
the symbols { and }
The symbols { and }, often used in mathematics and computer programming.
Examples
- In this programming language, you must close each block with curly brackets.
- The formula inside the curly brackets is squared.
- Please replace the round brackets with curly brackets in your code.
curly fries
1/kˈɚli fɹˈaɪz/
fixed phrase
spiral-shaped fried potato pieces
French fries made from potatoes cut into curly, spiral shapes.
Examples
- I ordered a burger with a side of curly fries.
- The kids love curly fries because they look fun and taste crispy.
- They serve curly fries only on the weekend menu.
curly hair
1/kˈɚli hˈɛɹ/
fixed phrase
hair that naturally forms curls
Hair that grows in many small round shapes instead of lying straight.
Examples
- She has thick curly hair that takes a long time to dry.
- People with curly hair often use special products to keep it soft and defined.
- His curly hair stood up in every direction when he woke up.
curly kale
1/kˈɚli kˈeɪl/
fixed phrase
kale with tightly curled leaves
A kind of green vegetable (kale) that has many small, curly leaves.
Examples
- She made a salad with curly kale, apples, and nuts.
- Curly kale is often roasted in the oven to make healthy chips.
- We grow curly kale in the garden every winter.