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

However, the region doesn’t seem to have the resources to fix its ailing infrastructure, such as a crumbling wastewater treatment plant along the coast in Punta Bandera. — Joshua Emerson Smith, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Attorney General Becerra joins legal strategy to force feds to clean up Tijuana sewage flooding San Diego," 15 May 2018 Most of the town's 280-plus residents live in the 14-story Begich Tower, while the crumbling Buckner Building — once the largest building in Alaska and now abandoned — is a towering concrete remnant of the city's military origins. — Kirsten Swann, Anchorage Daily News, "Girdwood, Whittier, Seward: The best of Alaska along one epic, scenic highway," 3 May 2018 But the partnership crumbled under mysterious circumstances, right in the middle of Kernel's first human trial. — Robbie Gonzalez, WIRED, "A Brain-Boosting Prosthesis Moves From Rats to Humans," 6 Apr. 2018 Faith in the American model of capitalism has been crumbling for a decade—and not just on the left. — Gerard Baker, WSJ, "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Is the Perfect Ideological Complement to President Trump," 11 Jan. 2019 But over the past couple of years, the scientific house of cards that underpinned this work and influence has started crumbling. — Brian Resnick, Vox, "A top Cornell food researcher has had 13 studies retracted. That’s a lot.," 19 Sep. 2018 And for more than 30 years, the nearly century-old bridge has been crumbling, even as residents rallied endlessly to save their de facto Main Street and as city agencies mulled razing the structure. — Sarah Maslin Nir, New York Times, "A Bridge, the Rickety Heart of Kew Gardens, Gets a Reprieve," 12 July 2018 Our ability to not crumble under pressure, that’s ultimately what has helped us win games. — Brent Kennedy, Howard County Times, "Marriotts Ridge baseball, softball sweep Hammond to take control of county title races," 5 May 2018 The reallocation of money earmarked for those affected by crumbling foundations highlights the fact that all stakeholders must work closely together in order to provide viable solutions to homeowners. — Courant Community, "Community News For The East Hartford Edition," 1 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Also highlighted is a filling bone broth soup ($14) with ramen noodles, greens, a marinated egg and crumbles of sausage made with fresh pork and Benton’s country ham. — Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle, "Lazy Bear team ventures into unknown territory with True Laurel," 16 Feb. 2018 The crumble can be completed up to 4 days ahead and stored in the fridge. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, "The Hot and Hearty Pie Recipes to Kick Off Autumn in Your Kitchen," 21 Sep. 2018 All of these recipes are easy and take less than a half-hour to put together, plus some waiting time – baking the crumbles, and waiting for the granita to freeze – no big deal. — Ellise Pierce, star-telegram, "It's time to start cooking with summer’s tasty top prize — Texas peaches," 10 July 2018 Meanwhile make crumble: In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. — Lisa Ludwinski, WSJ, "Pies That Bind: Thanksgiving Recipes From the Heartland," 15 Nov. 2018 There’s also a brioche French toast that features whipped labneh and nut crumble. — Karin Eldor, Condé Nast Traveler, "10 Best Brunches in Montreal," 6 Aug. 2018 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

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.