CURLS Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

curls 1 of 2

noun

plural of curl

as in ringlets

a length of hair that forms a loop or series of loops let her hair grow in its natural curls

Synonyms & Similar Words

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curls

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of curl

as in coils

to follow a circular or spiral course an inviting path for joggers curls around the reservoir

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

straightens

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of curls

Noun

Made for pretty much every texture, the airy foam gives fine-to-medium hair body without weighing it down, while helping define and smooth thicker waves and curls without sacrificing movement. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Aug. 2026 Candlelit copper builds it right into your hair, with soft, glowy highlights that add richness and warmth (especially on curls like Megan Thee Stallion’s). — Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 27 Aug. 2026 Shake it out, separate some of the curls and let a little frizz happen. — Chloe Burcham, Vogue, 18 Aug. 2026 As with all the award-winning brand’s products, this trio is thoughtfully designed for curls, coils and tight textures. — Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026 Exercises like wall sits, leg raises, and hamstring curls can help improve strength, balance, and stability. — Rikkilynn Shields Hannigan, HEALTH, 13 Aug. 2026 Gramby asks her little girl, who has dark curls and a big smile. — Kristin Wright, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026 Second-Day Hair Is Underrated While many people might use velcro rollers when blow-drying hair for a bouncy blowout look, second-day hair actually holds better when styling for volume and curls. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 Aug. 2026 The team identified 47 of these vortex-bearing interfaces in the telescope’s field of view and measured the spacing between adjacent curls. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for curls

Noun

As families poured into a converted West Side warehouse Saturday afternoon, Jacob Williams watched small ringlets of his hair tumble to the floor.

— Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Layer thick, curly hair to enhance natural volume and add definition to your ringlets.

— Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 17 July 2026

Definition of ringlets

Noun

The Iranian diaspora spans multiple generations and waves of exile, from those who left after the 1979 revolution to more recent arrivals who fled crackdowns and protest movements.

— Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Made for pretty much every texture, the airy foam gives fine-to-medium hair body without weighing it down, while helping define and smooth thicker waves and curls without sacrificing movement.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of waves

Verb

At least 933 workers are missing at various hydropower projects that run along the Trishuli river, which winds through multiple districts in the remote and mountainous area, according to the country’s disaster agency.

— Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
The route winds through the Blue Ridge Mountains, offering impressive overlooks, vast forests, historic communities, and countless opportunities for hiking and outdoor exploration.

— Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of winds

Noun

Head into the remainder of the year with travel essentials that offer a little extra peace of mind, including luggage locks, portable travel safes, and personal alarms that can help deter pickpockets.

— Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026
Curtis has sequestered primary ballots in a room in the elections office in Redding, sealing the doors with locks and duct tape and telling reporters that the ballots did not look, feel or smell right.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of locks

Verb

The aircraft, a C-17, is taller than any commercial vessel; ten feet above her head, the ceiling curves like a spaceship.

— ABC News, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
But plenty of long-range computer models continue to show a future for the system, most as a tropical storm headed west toward the Caribbean, although plenty also show a potential track that curves north of Puerto Rico.

— Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of curves

Browse Nearby Words

curling up

curls

curls up

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Style

“Curls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/curls. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of curls

noun

verb

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