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

Crews have repaired the crumbling sewer pipes and a three-by-eight foot sinkhole near Ohio and Pennsylvania streets, Citizens Energy Group said Friday. — Vic Ryckaert, Indianapolis Star, "Downtown sinkhole fixed, streets to reopen tonight," 13 July 2018 The Monolith Garden Trail is the best of the bunch, a tangled route through dramatic boulder fields and crumbling ramparts of volcanic ash. — Roger Naylor, azcentral, "10 best hikes in Arizona show off state's diverse scenery," 13 July 2018 Without funds to preserve the crumbling rock walls of the compound, Parks and Wildlife buried the ruins in sand to prevent further erosion and vandalism. — Joe Holley, Houston Chronicle, "The remarkable Ana Maria Calvillo: She could ride, shoot, ranch and live in peace with the Indians," 29 June 2018 Over the years, plenty of athletes have crumbled under the weight of the Olympic rings. — Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, "By not making the Winter Olympics too big, Red Gerard gets the biggest win," 11 Feb. 2018 Johnson criticized the company for making no mention of the potential impact on the city’s crumbling public transportation infrastructure, aside from a plan to build a helipad. — Shirin Ghaffary, Recode, "New York City council members railed against Amazon in the hope of renegotiating the HQ2 deal," 12 Dec. 2018 The deep state tonight is crumbling from within at this very hour. — Fox News, "Alan Dershowitz: Kavanaugh accuser must speak first," 21 Sep. 2018 Already, the Russians, who practically invented orbital spaceflight, are crumbling before commercial forces. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "As the SpaceX steamroller surges, European rocket industry vows to resist," 20 July 2018 Universities have complained for years about the need for maintenance dollars to fix crumbling infrastructure and build new facilities to meet student demands. — Rachel Leingang, azcentral, "See what Arizona's universities are building with millions in new money from the state," 15 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

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 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

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.