crumple

1 of 2

verb

crum·​ple ˈkrəm-pəl 

crumpled; crumpling ˈkrəm-p(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to press, bend, or crush out of shape : rumple

2

: to cause to collapse

intransitive verb

1

: to become crumpled

2

: collapse

crumple

2 of 2

noun

: a wrinkle or crease made by crumpling

crumply

ˈkrəm-p(ə-)lē 

adjective

Synonyms of crumple

Verb

• scrunch
• fold
• wrinkle

Examples of crumple in a Sentence

Verb

She crumpled the piece of paper into a ball and tossed it into the garbage can.

The car's fender was crumpled in the accident.

At the sight of blood, he crumpled to the floor.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The 23-year-old crumpled to the ground, clutching his left hand before walking off with trainers. — Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2026

By all accounts, DC Studios’ Supergirl crumpled beneath the red sun of paltry box-office returns, taking in just $38 million domestically over its opening weekend. — Chris Lee, Vulture, 29 June 2026

Noun

This post-mounted mailbox is larger than average, which means magazines can lay flat and your mail can arrive without a single crumple or crease. — Mina Dragani, Architectural Digest, 22 July 2026

As the chain is synthesized in the cell, thermal fluctuations allow the chain to explore its energy landscape and crumple up into its most stable equilibrium state. — Quanta Magazine, 15 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English crumplen, frequentative of Middle English crumpen

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1607, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing crumple

• crumple zone
• face crumple

Kids Definition

crumple

verb

crum·​ple

ˈkrəm-pəl

crumpled; crumpling

-p(ə-)liŋ

1

: to press, bend, or crush out of shape

2

: to become crumpled

3

: collapse entry 1 sense 1