crumple

1 of 2

verb

crum·​ple ˈkrəm-pəl 

crumpled; crumpling ˈkrəm-p(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to press, bend, or crush out of shape : rumple

2

: to cause to collapse

intransitive verb

1

: to become crumpled

2

: collapse

crumple

2 of 2

noun

: a wrinkle or crease made by crumpling

crumply

ˈkrəm-p(ə-)lē 

adjective

Synonyms

Verb

• crinkle
• rumple
• scrunch
• wrinkle

Examples of crumple in a Sentence

Verb

She crumpled the piece of paper into a ball and tossed it into the garbage can.

The car's fender was crumpled in the accident.

At the sight of blood, he crumpled to the floor.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Teen calls for his mom before crumpling to the ground Hazrat Ali Rohani and two friends were making their way toward the Big 5 Sporting when Myers approached them with a gun in hand. —Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 12 June 2024

All six workers, who went missing after a cargo ship struck the bridge and sent it crumpling into the frigid Patapsco River early Tuesday, were presumed dead when the search-and-rescue mission trying to save them was called off in the evening. —Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024

Noun

Unlike the Earth, our celestial companion lacks plate tectonics, so its brittle crust crumples into unstable ridges called thrust faults to accommodate its dwindling volume. —Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2024

Each card makes the fire burn a little brighter, a burst of light and memory as the paper singes and crumples. —Time, 12 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English crumplen, frequentative of Middle English crumpen

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing crumple

• crumple zone
• face crumple

Kids Definition

crumple

verb

crum·​ple

ˈkrəm-pəl

crumpled; crumpling

-p(ə-)liŋ

1

: to press, bend, or crush out of shape

2

: to become crumpled

3

: collapse entry 1 sense 1