as in deteriorates
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 crumbles
That is the moment that everything crumbles for Rachel.
—
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 May 2026
Loyalty, betrayal, illness and war all bear down on the group as the old order crumbles around them.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Feb. 2026
The song was inspired by surviving a toxic relationship, and then finding a true-hearted love that crumbles emotional walls.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 15 Jan. 2026
Academic success means little if a child crumbles under stress.
—Dr. Mona Amin, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2025
Toby’s display, overall, looks a lot nicer, but when Paul goes to take a slice of his cake from the chocolate case, the whole thing crumbles to a mess.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
At times, the house would break apart onstage, with the top half lifted in the air, only for YoungBoy to start aggressively rapping, standing supreme while the house crumbles around him.
—Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
However, the film often crumbles under the weight of the ambitions.
—Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 May 2026
Loyalty, betrayal, illness and war all bear down on the group as the old order crumbles around them.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Feb. 2026
The song was inspired by surviving a toxic relationship, and then finding a true-hearted love that crumbles emotional walls.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 15 Jan. 2026
Academic success means little if a child crumbles under stress.
—Dr. Mona Amin, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2025
Toby’s display, overall, looks a lot nicer, but when Paul goes to take a slice of his cake from the chocolate case, the whole thing crumbles to a mess.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
At times, the house would break apart onstage, with the top half lifted in the air, only for YoungBoy to start aggressively rapping, standing supreme while the house crumbles around him.
—Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
However, the film often crumbles under the weight of the ambitions.
—Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumbles
Verb
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Another six months of war and the negotiating position deteriorates.—
Güney Yıldız,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
Meetings grow tense, and communication deteriorates.—
Niurys Robaina,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Now, Drake has pulled ahead of the British singer-songwriter, who descends slightly to tenth place.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
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Avoid morning hours when flowers are damp with dew and late evening when dew descends on the garden.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2026
Verb
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And don't pulverize clay into dust—this worsens soil compaction.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
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This worsens the inflammatory response to the initial infection, according to Fleming, who was not involved in the study.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Kojima Productions declines to share more information on Kier's involvement, though filming has now properly begun with the actors on OD.—
Entertainment Weekly,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 June 2026
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Democratic voters are more likely to vote by mail than Republicans so stand to benefit in future elections if the Supreme Court declines to get involved.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crumbles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumbles. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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