crick

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈkrik How to pronounce crick (audio)
Synonyms of cricknext
: a painful spasmodic condition of muscles (as of the neck or back)

crick

2 of 3

verb

cricked; cricking; cricks

transitive verb

1
: to cause a crick in
crick one's neck
2
: to turn or twist (something, such as one's head) especially into a strained position

crick

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural cricks
dialectal
: creek sense 1
I grew up fishing on little cricks with my dad.— C. W. Welch

Synonyms

Noun (1)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of crick in a Sentence

Noun (1) got a crick in my neck from sleeping while sitting up Verb He cricked his back sleeping on the sofa.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Huzi Infinity Travel Neck Pillow Avoid neck cricks and pains with this infinity neck pillow that provides 360-degree support. — Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English cryk

Noun (2)

variant of creek, probably by shortening of Middle English crike

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1608, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crick was in the 15th century

Rhymes for crick

See All Rhymes for crick

Browse Nearby Words

Crichton
crick
Crick
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crick. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

crick

noun
ˈkrik
: a painful spasm of muscles (as of the neck or back)

Medical Definition

crick

1 of 2 noun
ˈkrik How to pronounce crick (audio)
: a painful spasmodic condition of muscles (as of the neck or back)

crick

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to cause a crick in (as the neck)

Biographical Definition

Crick

biographical name

ˈkrik How to pronounce Crick (audio)
Francis Harry Compton 1916–2004 British biophysicist

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Nglish: Translation of crick for Spanish Speakers

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