crumbled

adjective

crum·​bled ˈkrəm-bəld How to pronounce crumbled (audio)
1
: broken into small pieces or crumbles
… cheeses that add a piquant accent include freshly grated parmesan or romano and crumbled feta or cotija.Betsy Reynolds Bateson
Try this Italian classic with romaine lettuce and fun toppers, such as crumbled bacon or dry-roasted sunflower seeds …Jeanne Ambrose et al.
2
: having fallen apart : completely collapsed or disintegrated
Over the centuries, the crumbled neighborhood endured, until 20 years ago, Unesco declared it a World Heritage site …Liesl Schillinger
Not that much of it here is still standing, because this end was built of rammed earth, not stone. The crumbled remnants are only about fifteen feet high, with a thin pathway along the top.Christina Dodwell
Scattered among the ruins of the vault, shrouded in clouds of dust and crumbled brick, were frescoes by Giotto and Cimabue that had stood since the late 13th century.Alida Becker

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crumbled was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near crumbled

Cite this Entry

“Crumbled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crumbled. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

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