crumple

¹crum·ple

verb \ˈkrəm-pəl\

: to press or squeeze (something) so that it is no longer flat or smooth

: to become wrinkled or bent : to stop being smooth or flat

: to suddenly bend and fall

crum·pledcrum·pling \-p(ə-)liŋ\

Full Definition of CRUMPLE

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

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Examples of CRUMPLE

1. She crumpled the piece of paper into a ball and tossed it into the garbage can.
2. The car's fender was crumpled in the accident.
3. At the sight of blood, he crumpled to the floor.

Origin of CRUMPLE

Middle English crumplen, frequentative of Middle English crumpen

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to CRUMPLE

Synonyms

crinkle, rumple, scrunch, wrinkle

Antonyms

flatten, iron out, smooth, smoothen, uncrumple

Related Words

corrugate, crease, crimp, fold, pleat, pucker, ruck; crisp, ripple, ruffle; contract, furrow, knit; mess (up), muss (up)

Near Antonyms

even, iron, press, straighten; unfold; neaten, tidy

Rhymes with CRUMPLE

rumple

²crumple

noun

Definition of CRUMPLE

:  a wrinkle or crease made by crumpling

— crum·ply \ˈkrəm-p(ə-)lē\ adjective

First Known Use of CRUMPLE

15th century