What does creased mean?
To be creased is to be marked by a line or fold, whether in fabric, paper, leather, or human skin. The word most commonly appears in everyday contexts involving clothing — a creased shirt suggests carelessness or haste, since pressed garments are the social norm — but it extends naturally to any soft material that holds the memory of being folded. When applied to faces, however, the connotation shifts warmly: a creased smile or creased brow speaks of expression, age, and lived experience, giving the word an almost affectionate quality. In sports, notably cricket, the crease is a painted line on the pitch, and a batsman who leaves it can be stumped. Derived from the noun 'crease', whose precise origins are obscure but trace back several centuries in English, the word is versatile enough to describe both physical texture and figurative fault lines. Its opposite — smooth, pressed, unwrinkled — tells us much about what cultures value in appearance and presentation.
Past tense and past participle of 'crease': to have formed a fold or line in something, or to have wrinkled a surface.
"The map had been creased so many times it was falling apart along the folds."
Used transitively ('he creased the paper') and intransitively ('the linen creases easily'); as a passive participle it frequently describes garments.
Marked with lines, folds, or wrinkles.
"Her creased forehead betrayed years of worry."
When describing faces, the word tends toward a positive or neutral register, implying expressiveness or character.
In cricket, the 'crease' is literally a line you must not cross — which may be why getting caught out feels like stepping over the edge.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of creased
The verb 'to crease' derives from the noun 'crease', meaning a line or fold, which has been part of English since at least the sixteenth century. Its ultimate origins are uncertain, though some sources link it to Middle English words for a ridge or fold. The sporting sense — particularly in cricket, where the 'popping crease' marks a batsman's safe ground — developed separately in the seventeenth century and may derive from a different root, possibly related to a word for a hollow or trough. Over time the word broadened into general use for any fold or line in a pliable surface.
Related word forms
How creased is actually used
Most often used of clothing and paper, where creases are typically undesirable; when describing faces, 'creased' carries a warmer connotation, suggesting character or frequent laughter rather than damage.
Easily confused with creased
'Crisp' means firm and fresh or sharply defined, while 'creased' means marked by unwanted lines or folds.
'Creak' refers to a sharp squeaking sound made by wood or hinges, whereas 'crease' is a line or fold in material.