crumbled; crumbling
ˈkrəm-b(ə-)liŋ 
: to break into small pieces
1
: to fall into small pieces : disintegrate
2
: to break down completely : collapse
marriages crumble
1
: something crumbled : fine debris
2
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
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
But the administration’s legal foundation for these collections crumbled before the court.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2026
James Duesterberg, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
Loamy soil keeps its shape but crumbles easily when poked.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crumble
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Verb
Once the blocks and spires of Palma faded into the distance, the 25-minute drive from the airport took me past crumbling homes, fields of curious farm animals, and not a soul in sight for miles at a time.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
But the administration’s legal foundation for these collections crumbled before the court.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
Logistically accelerating techno-economic interactivity crumbles social order in auto-sophisticating machine runaway.
—James Duesterberg, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
Loamy soil keeps its shape but crumbles easily when poked.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crumble
Cite this Entry
“Crumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crumble. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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