put a crimp in
"put-a-crimp-in" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“put a crimp in” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 14
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see put, crimp, in.
Corpus desk
Index EN-put-a-crimp-in · put a crimp in · English
put a crimp in · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-MEGA 14 letters
- VOW-4 4 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "P" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | put a crimp in |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| Letters | 14 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “put a crimp in” in English
Rare enough to double-check
put a crimp in is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for put a crimp in, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: By analogy with putting a crimp in a pipe or hose, thereby slowing or stopping the flow of liquid through it. The correct English form is put a crimp in, spelled P-U-T- -A- -C-R-I-M-P- -I-N.
Definition
- 1Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see put, crimp, in.
- 2To spoil; to affect badly, preventing the usual or desired effect.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how put a crimp in appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
This put a crimp in my style, so I was determined we were going to find our own place faster than the timetable we'd set ourselves.
Everyone had expected the economic recession to put a crimp in Davis's ambitions.
Etymology
By analogy with putting a crimp in a pipe or hose, thereby slowing or stopping the flow of liquid through it.
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.