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.
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Verb
Specifically, during a phone call Sullivan had with Eric after the ordeal, which marked a low point for the series as Eric launched into a verbal tirade while cameras captured Sullivan crumpled into a bawling heap.—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026 The Honda’s trunk flew open, the front crumpled.—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
Soundtracking Case’s words are windswept arrangements and contagious melodies where baritone guitar, violin swells, and steady percussion crumple up feelings of dread and anxiety.—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 16 Sep. 2025 Bonus points for pairs that won’t crease, crumple, or crinkle when they’re folded.—Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 26 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for crumple
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English crumplen, frequentative of Middle English crumpen