1
as in to scrunch
to create (as by crushing) an irregular mass of creases in
crumpled the piece of paper and angrily threw it in the wastebasket
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to collapse
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure
the box crumpled when I accidentally dropped a brick on it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crumple
Napkins were crumpled; plates were licked.
—
Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
The video also shows the Range Rover’s crumpled front end, while photos captured Baldwin outside his vehicle, making a phone call.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
His mother found him, crumpled on the floor of his acupuncture studio, in a pool of blood.
—Dateline Nbc, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
Of course Swift’s legion of devotees would scoff at the notion that their heroine was anything but a pop goddess, their very own Glinda the Good Witch sent to comfort with lyrical poetry and aid crumpled hearts.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crumple
Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
The video also shows the Range Rover’s crumpled front end, while photos captured Baldwin outside his vehicle, making a phone call.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
His mother found him, crumpled on the floor of his acupuncture studio, in a pool of blood.
—Dateline Nbc, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
Of course Swift’s legion of devotees would scoff at the notion that their heroine was anything but a pop goddess, their very own Glinda the Good Witch sent to comfort with lyrical poetry and aid crumpled hearts.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crumple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumple
Verb
-
Sheppard won’t have as scrunched a floor to run the offense.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
To re-create the style, Abramite recommends adding mousse to damp hair and blow-drying with a diffuser while scrunching for volume at the roots and expansion throughout.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Those shows come from a time when fisheries were collapsing and regulations meant to save them forced fishermen into a daily sprint to the bottom.—
Dan Morrison,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Gilbert is hardly the only celebrity lending their support to Ryder’s Law, which was named after a horse who died in Manhattan in 2022 after collapsing in the August heat.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Even small acts—sharing a song, looking at a family photo or folding laundry together—can anchor the relationship.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Remove from heat and fold in basil.—
Francesca Giuliani Hoffman,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Trex — The decking and railing products manufacturer tumbled 29% after slashing its full-year sales outlook due to weak demand.—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Temperatures are expected to tumble into the mid-20s by early Monday, with wind chills in the teens.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The old, wrinkled one looks up at Helm’s mountain, at the sky above its summit.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Harlow wrinkles her nose, the perfect picture of disgust.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crumple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumple. Accessed 7 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share