crumble

verb

crum·ble | \ˈkrəm-bəl

\

crumbled; crumbling\ˈkrəm-b(ə-)liŋ

\

Definition of crumble

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

: to break into small pieces

intransitive verb

1 : to fall into small pieces : disintegrate

2 : to break down completely : collapse marriages crumble

crumble

noun

Definition of crumble (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : something crumbled : fine debris

2 : crisp sense 2

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about crumble

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Examples of crumble in a Sentence

Verb

Crumble the cookies into small bits. The recipe calls for the herbs to be crumbled. bones so old they had crumbled to dust She was extremely depressed after her marriage crumbled.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Seared by gases at hundreds of degrees centigrade and superheated volcanic materials that in time hardened into 60 feet of rock, the distorted, crumbling rolls were believed by most scholars to be the very definition of a lost cause. — Henrik Knudsen, Smithsonian, "Buried by the Ash of Vesuvius, These Scrolls Are Being Read for the First Time in Millennia," 26 June 2018 The crumbling Neoclassical Revival home overlooking the Yazoo River was once one of the finest in the Delta. — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, "For $65,000, This Once-Grand Mississippi Mansion is Now The Ultimate Fixer Upper," 16 Apr. 2018 These were impossible dreams at the crumbling old stadium by the lake. — Bill Livingston, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Indians 2018: A quarter-century in the park that saved the team: Bill Livingston (photos)," 6 Apr. 2018 Its crumbling walls and bombed-out roof eerily preserve the aftermath of destruction, like a modern-day Pompeii. — Katie Parla, Condé Nast Traveler, "Road Trip: 4 Days on Italy's Backroads, from Rome to Naples," 6 Feb. 2018 Commissioners have said the crumbling steps were a safety hazard, and upgrading the plaza would bring it more in line with improvements made to downtown by the city of Valparaiso. — Amy Lavalley, Post-Tribune, "Cold weather delays steps repair at Porter administration building," 12 Jan. 2018 Lisa Cregan: Gray and gold sounds so formal, like some crumbling castle's coat of arms. — Lisa Cregan, House Beautiful, "Kristin Kong on Decorating a Young Family's Elegant House," 2 Mar. 2015 Meantime, Iran is domestically crumbling under the weight of inflation, unemployment, corruption and cronyism. — Eliora Katz, WSJ, "Iranians Are Now Chanting ‘Death to Palestine’," 13 July 2018 Uresti’s political and professional life have crumbled in the aftermath of his conviction. — Patrick Danner, San Antonio Express-News, "Judge refuses to appoint Uresti’s lawyer of choice for appeal," 12 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Pour mixture over chicken crumbles and cook, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated; 5 to 8 minutes. — Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, "The best recipes of 2017 that wowed us over and over," 7 Jan. 2018 Overlapping sheets of nearly translucent kohlrabi hide a treasure of heirloom carrots and hazelnut-pistachio crumble. — Phil Vettel, chicagotribune.com, "Review: Band of Bohemia's chef Ian Davis is a name to watch," 16 Mar. 2018 French chocolate cake is intensely chocolaty, abetted by rich coffee ice cream and a squiggle of blood-orange crumble. — Phil Vettel, chicagotribune.com, "Review: Sky's the limit with ambitious Santo Cielo," 18 May 2018 When making a fruit crumble, be sure to avoid these three common mistakes. — Southern Living, "This Is What Ina Garten Is Baking for Dessert Memorial Day Weekend," 25 May 2018 Where the feta at other grocery stores is often limited to a tiny package of salad crumbles, Super King boasts a variety of brands and sizes. — Liz Ohanesian, Los Angeles Magazine, "Why Super King May Be L.A.’s Most Underrated Grocery Store," 18 June 2018 As the Arctic warms and ice crumbles, many areas where narwhals live will be open to human activities like oil exploration, shipping and tourism. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Researchers Record the Sounds of the Elusive Narwhal," 15 June 2018 All anchored by a base of cocoa-nib chocolate crumble. — Phil Vettel, chicagotribune.com, "Review: Will Wentworth's cooking at Mordecai earn him another Michelin star?," 8 June 2018 With the sidewalk in crumbles, wooden planks lead to front doorsteps. — Christina Tkacik, baltimoresun.com, "Ellicott City begins the great 'muck out' — again," 3 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crumble.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near crumble

Phrases Related to crumble

that's the way the cookie crumbles

Statistics for crumble

Last Updated

15 Oct 2018

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for crumble

The first known use of crumble was in 1547

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More Definitions for crumble

crumble

verb

English Language Learners Definition of crumble

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to break (something) into small pieces

: to separate into many small pieces : to fall apart

: to break down completely : to stop functioning

crumble

noun

English Language Learners Definition of crumble (Entry 2 of 2)

crumbles : small pieces of something that has been crumbled

See the full definition for crumble in the English Language Learners Dictionary

crumble

verb

crum·ble | \ˈkrəm-bəl

\

crumbled; crumbling

Kids Definition of crumble

1 : to break into small pieces crumble bread

2 : to fall to pieces : fall into ruin Any moment these walls may crumble upon us …— Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee

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