The corrugator muscle originates at the inner orbit of the eye near the root of the nose and inserts into the skin of the forehead above the center of each eyebrow. It pulls the eyebrows and skin from the center of each eyebrow to its inner corner medially and down, forming vertical wrinkles in the glabella area and horizontal wrinkles at the bridge of the nose. It most often acts simultaneously with two nearby smaller muscles, the depressor supercillii and the procerus. It is one of the most important of expressive muscles. Some suggest this is the muscle of grief and suffering (research suggests much more diverse roles). It produces a frown in the eyebrows and forehead.

Corrugator is innervated by zygomatic and temporal branches of the facial nerve (VII) and is supplied with blood by the superficial temporal artery.