as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the stock of the energy company crumbled after the revelations of fraud and mismanagement
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Recent Examples of crumble
This story is told by an unnamed narrator, an irreligious woman who has joined the nuns as a lay resident after her faith in environmental advocacy crumbled.
—
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Dozens of cars have been trapped in a parking garage since the concrete crumbled on Monday afternoon.
—CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
After one crumbling alien civilization captures this signal and plans to invade Earth, humanity divides into those who will welcome the new beings and those who plan to fight against them.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
His stance as the ER’s conscience is crumbling.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crumble
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Dozens of cars have been trapped in a parking garage since the concrete crumbled on Monday afternoon.
—CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
After one crumbling alien civilization captures this signal and plans to invade Earth, humanity divides into those who will welcome the new beings and those who plan to fight against them.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
His stance as the ER’s conscience is crumbling.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumble
Verb
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For years, lawyers have alleged that inmates receive expired, undercooked or contaminated food, including spoiled meat and deteriorated dairy products.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
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Now the war has turned into a race to stabilize the rapidly deteriorating global economic order, central to which is reopening the Strait of Hormuz.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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World’s fastest mini-sub According to reports, the submersible is able to ascend and descend in the water column at angles up to 45 degrees.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Mar. 2026
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At the same time, an American Airlines flight from Norfolk was descending.—
Sharyn Alfonsi,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Burning more coal risks worsening smog in major cities, slowing the transition to renewable energy and increasing the region's planet-warming emissions.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Mar. 2026
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The first of three ships carrying food, medical supplies, solar panels, and other humanitarian aid arrived in Cuba on Tuesday, three days behind schedule, as the island grapples with a worsening economic and energy crisis.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Throughout the years-long investigation, Cherfilus-McCormick declined interview requests from the committee and provided little to no defense against the committee’s allegations.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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Some declined to provide their full names, citing safety concerns.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumble. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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