Crease vs. Fold: Know the Difference

By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
"Crease" refers to a line created by pressing or wrinkling, while "fold" involves bending something over on itself, creating layers.

Key Differences
Crease is a line or mark made on a surface, often fabric or paper, typically due to pressure or wrinkling. Fold refers to bending something, usually flexible, over onto itself, creating a doubled layer.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Crease often implies a sharp, defined line that can be temporary or permanent, commonly seen in clothing or paper. Fold involves a more deliberate action, bending a material to create a distinct, often flat, overlap.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Crease can be unintentional, like a wrinkle in a shirt, or intentional, like a crease in trousers. Fold is usually a deliberate action, like folding a letter to fit in an envelope or folding a napkin into a design.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Crease generally does not change the overall shape of the object but adds a line or mark. In contrast, a fold often alters the shape or size of the object, like folding a paper airplane.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Crease can be easily made with light pressure and sometimes by accident. Fold requires a more deliberate and often firmer action to create a bend or overlap in the material.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Definition
A line made by wrinkling or pressing.
Bending something over itself.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Result
A line or wrinkle on the surface.
Overlapping layers of the material.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Reversibility
Often difficult to remove completely.
Can be unfolded, restoring original shape.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Common Usage
In clothes, paper, soft materials.
In paper, cloth, flexible materials.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Crease and Fold Definitions
Crease
A line formed by folding or pressing.
He ironed the shirt to sharpen the creases.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Fold
To bend over or double up so that one part lies on another part
Fold a sheet of paper.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
An impression or mark made by crushing.
The crease in the poster was visible after it was unfolded.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Fold
To make compact by doubling or bending over parts
Folded the laundry.
Folded the chairs for stacking.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
A furrow or line in the skin, often due to age.
Laugh lines added creases around her eyes.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Fold
To bring from an extended to a closed position
The hawk folded its wings.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
A wrinkle or ridge on a smooth surface.
The book's spine had several creases from frequent use.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Fold
To bring from a compact to an extended position; unfold
Folded the ironing board down from the wall.
Folded out the map to see where we were.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
A line marking a fold, especially on fabric.
The trousers had a sharp crease down the front.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Fold
To envelop or clasp; enfold
Folded his children to his breast.
Folded the check into the letter.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
In hockey, an area marked in front of the goal in which an offensive player can score a goal only if the puck reaches the area before the player does.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
To blend (a light ingredient) into a heavier mixture with a series of gentle turns
Folded the beaten egg whites into the batter.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
In lacrosse, the circle marked around the goal into which offensive players cannot enter.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
(Informal) To discontinue operating; close
They had to fold the company a year after they started it.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
One of the lines in cricket marking off the positions of the bowler and batter or the space between two of these lines.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
(Games) To withdraw (one's hand) in defeat, as by laying cards face down on a table.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
A line or mark made by folding or doubling any pliable substance; hence, a similar mark, however produced.
His pants had a nice sharp crease.
His shirt was brand new with visible creases from its store fold.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
(cricket) One of the white lines drawn on the pitch to show different areas of play; especially the popping crease, but also the bowling crease and the return crease.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
(lacrosse) The circle around the goal, where no offensive players can go.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
A part that has been folded over or against another
The loose folds of the drapery.
Clothes stacked in neat folds.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
(transitive) To lightly bloody; to graze.
The bullet just creased his shoulder.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
A line or mark made by folding; a crease
Tore the paper carefully along the fold.
A headline that appeared above the fold.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
A line or mark made by folding or doubling any pliable substance; hence, a similar mark, however produced.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
(Anatomy) A crease or ridge apparently formed by folding, as of a membrane; a plica.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
One of the lines serving to define the limits of the bowler and the striker.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
The combination of four lines forming a rectangle inclosing either goal, or the inclosed space itself, within which no attacking player is allowed unless the ball is there; - called also goal crease.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
To make a crease or mark in, as by folding or doubling.
Creased, like dog's ears in a folio.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
A group of people or institutions bound together by common beliefs and aims.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
An angular or rounded shape made by folding;
A fold in the napkin
A crease in his trousers
A plication on her blouse
A flexure of the colon
A bend of his elbow

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
A religious congregation
The priest welcomed new parishioners into the fold.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
A slight depression in the smoothness of a surface;
His face has many lines
Ironing gets rid of most wrinkles

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
(transitive) To bend (any thin material, such as paper) over so that it comes in contact with itself.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
(transitive) To make the proper arrangement (in a thin material) by bending.
If you fold the sheets, they'll fit more easily in the drawer.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Crease
Make wrinkles or creases into a smooth surface;
The dress got wrinkled

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
(intransitive) To become folded; to form folds.
Cardboard doesn't fold very easily.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
To fall over; to be crushed.
The chair folded under his enormous weight.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
To withdraw from betting.
With no hearts in the river and no chance to hit his straight, he folded.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
To stir gently, with a folding action.
Fold the egg whites into the batter.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
Of a company, to cease to trade.
The company folded after six quarters of negative growth.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
To double or lay together, as the arms or the hands.
He folded his arms in defiance.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
An act of folding.
Give the bedsheets a fold before putting them in the cupboard.
After two reraises in quick succession, John realised his best option was probably a fold.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
(newspapers) The division between the top and bottom halves of a broadsheet: headlines above the fold will be readable in a newsstand display; usually the fold.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
The division between the part of a web page visible in a web browser window without scrolling; usually the fold.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
(geology) The bending or curving of one or a stack of originally flat and planar surfaces, such as sedimentary strata, as a result of plastic (i.e. permanent) deformation.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
(comptheory) In functional programming, any of a family of higher-order functions that process a data structure recursively to build up a value.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
(programming) A section of source code that can be collapsed out of view in an editor to aid readability.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
(Christianity) A church congregation, a group of people who adhere to a common faith and habitually attend a given church; the Christian church as a whole, the flock of Christ.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
A group of people with shared ideas or goals or who live or work together.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
To lap or lay in plaits or folds; to lay one part over another part of; to double; as, to fold cloth; to fold a letter.
As a vesture shalt thou fold them up.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
To double or lay together, as the arms or the hands; as, he folds his arms in despair.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
To inclose within folds or plaitings; to envelop; to infold; to clasp; to embrace.
A face folded in sorrow.
We will descend and fold him in our arms.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
To cover or wrap up; to conceal.
Nor fold my fault in cleanly coined excuses.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
To become folded, plaited, or doubled; to close over another of the same kind; to double together; as, the leaves of the door fold.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
A doubling,esp. of any flexible substance; a part laid over on another part; a plait; a plication.
Mummies . . . shrouded in a number of folds of linen.
Folds are most common in the rocks of mountainous regions.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
Times or repetitions; - used with numerals, chiefly in composition, to denote multiplication or increase in a geometrical ratio, the doubling, tripling, etc., of anything; as, fourfold, four times, increased in a quadruple ratio, multiplied by four.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
That which is folded together, or which infolds or envelops; embrace.
Shall from your neck unloose his amorous fold.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
An inclosure for sheep; a sheep pen.
Leaps o'er the fence with ease into the fold.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
A flock of sheep; figuratively, the Church or a church; as, Christ's fold.
There shall be one fold and one shepherd.
The very whitest lamb in all my fold.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
An angular or rounded shape made by folding;
A fold in the napkin
A crease in his trousers
A plication on her blouse
A flexure of the colon
A bend of his elbow

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
A group of people who adhere to a common faith and habitually attend a given church

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
Bend or lay so that one part covers the other;
Fold up the newspaper
Turn up your collar

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
Incorporate a food ingredient into a mixture by repeatedly turning it over without stirring or beating;
Fold the egg whites into the batter

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
Cease to operate or cause to cease operating;
The owners decided to move and to close the factory
My business closes every night at 8 P.M.

Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Fold
To bend something flexible over on itself.
She folded the letter neatly into thirds.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Fold
A bend in a material, forming layers.
The origami crane had many precise folds.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Fold
To enclose or wrap something by overlapping.
He folded the blanket around the sleeping child.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Fold
To reduce in size by doubling over.
She folded the map to fit in her pocket.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Fold
To bring two parts together.
The chef folded the ingredients gently into the batter.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
How does folding affect paper?
Folding paper creates a visible line or edge.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Are creases always unwanted?
Not always; creases can be intentional, like in trousers.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Do creases affect material strength?
Repeated creasing can weaken some materials.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Are all folds in clothing intentional?
No, some are accidental or due to wear.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Do all papers crease the same way?
Different papers crease differently based on thickness and quality.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Can creases be permanent?
Some creases, especially in fabric, can become permanent.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Can you fold any material?
Most flexible materials can be folded, but some might break.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
How do you prevent creases in clothes?
By hanging or folding them properly.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Do creases have any functional purpose?
Yes, like guiding a fold or providing a visual cue.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Can folding damage electronics?
Repeated folding can damage flexible electronic screens.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Does paper weaken at the crease?
Yes, paper can weaken where it is creased.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Can folding be reversed?
Many folds can be unfolded, but a mark may remain.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Is folding important in packaging?
Yes, for efficient use of space and protection of items.

Shumaila Saeed
Nov 13, 2023
Share this page
Link for your blog / website
HTML
Link to share via messenger
About Author

Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.