Sinuous means having many curves and turns, like a winding path through the woods or a river that snakes across the landscape. The word describes anything that bends and twists gracefully in flowing lines.

You might watch a sinuous snake slither through grass, its body forming smooth S-curves as it moves. A dancer's sinuous movements flow from one position to another without any sharp, jerky motions. Mountain roads are often sinuous, curving back and forth as they climb steep slopes.

When you describe something as sinuous, you're usually suggesting that all those curves create something beautiful or elegant. A sinuous vine growing up a trellis looks graceful. A sinuous melody in music rises and falls smoothly, with gentle transitions between notes.

You can also use the word to describe how something moves: a cat walks with sinuous grace, its body flowing smoothly with each step. Writers sometimes describe rivers, roads, or even someone's elegant handwriting as sinuous when they want to emphasize all those smooth, connected curves.