1
as in to scrunch
to create (as by crushing) an irregular mass of creases in
crumpled the piece of paper and angrily threw it in the wastebasket
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2
as in to collapse
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure
the box crumpled when I accidentally dropped a brick on it
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Recent Examples of crumple
Then Jayson Tatum crumpled to the court in Madison Square Garden and the more painful reality is the Cavs may have missed a chance at a championship.
—
Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 14 May 2025
My heart crumples on the Friday morning of a Dad Weekend, knowing that the kiss goodbye before school is not just for the day.
—Domenica Ruta, People.com, 9 May 2025
The northwest corner of the hangar was crumpled and damaged from the impact.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2025
Quickly: In Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks went down 3-1 to the Pacers, but that wasn’t the worst news of their night: Damian Lillard — just days after a miraculous recovery from blood clots — crumpled to the floor in the first quarter, grabbing his left leg, and didn’t return.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crumple
Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 14 May 2025
My heart crumples on the Friday morning of a Dad Weekend, knowing that the kiss goodbye before school is not just for the day.
—Domenica Ruta, People.com, 9 May 2025
The northwest corner of the hangar was crumpled and damaged from the impact.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2025
Quickly: In Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks went down 3-1 to the Pacers, but that wasn’t the worst news of their night: Damian Lillard — just days after a miraculous recovery from blood clots — crumpled to the floor in the first quarter, grabbing his left leg, and didn’t return.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crumple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumple
Verb
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Audiences scrunched under the Jay Pritzker Pavilion fringe, only to play musical chairs dodging the structure’s many (and ever-changing) leaky spots.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2025
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Simply shake, spray on damp or dry hair, and scrunch for effortlessly chic waves.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
1 May 2025
Verb
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In handcuffs, Miyake collapsed momentarily outside.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
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Together, they’re poised to do something far more radical: collapse the traditional SaaS model and usher in a new era of decentralized, intelligent orchestration.—
Deepinder Singh Sethi,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
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When you’re done using it, fold the device into a compact size that’s small enough to slip into your bag.—
Rylee Johnston,
Travel + Leisure,
7 July 2025
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Fit the top crust over the filling; fold edges under, sealing to bottom crust, and crimp.—
Stephanie Ganz,
Southern Living,
7 July 2025
Verb
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The steps in a rehabilitation from injury or the buildup after time off are like dominoes in that one tumbles into the next.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 July 2025
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Executives around the league wondered what would come next for the team that tumbled from the 2023-24 Presidents’ Trophy champions to out of the playoffs.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Clothes removed from these bags are almost always wrinkled.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
4 July 2025
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These travel pants are made from lightweight, breathable fabric that drapes oh-so-perfectly along the legs and doesn’t wrinkle easily, even after a long flight.—
Anne Taylor,
Travel + Leisure,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crumple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumple. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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