1
as in scrunched
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in collapsed
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
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Recent Examples of crumpled
The polar bear crumpled three steps from Junior’s feet.
—
Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
Ball collided hard with Lee and both crumpled quickly to the floor, quieting the arena while many looked on anxiously.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 3 Feb. 2026
An employee wiped their mouth with a paper towel, crumpled it and threw it away, then returned to food prep area without changing gloves or washing hands.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
january 30, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Graham had also been a key supporter of escalation closer to home, in Venezuela, whose government was also being crumpled by the White House into the shape of a singular terrorist network.
—Séamus Malekafzali, Washington Post, 8 Jan. 2026
Then, after Barnes had dragged Newcastle level and the home side had built up attacking pressure, Thiaw crumpled under a challenge from Calvert-Lewin inside his own box, stuck out an arm and handled Jaka Bijol’s nod-down.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
The Nuggets were playing the Miami Heat when Jokic crumpled to the ground holding his knee at the tail end of the first half.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 Dec. 2025
The concept applies to gift bags, sturdy boxes, and tissue paper that hasn’t been crumpled beyond a little smoothing.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
In a post on X Friday morning, a user by the name of Starship Gazer, whose profile describes nearly half a decade of documenting Starship's development, posted an image of Booster 18 with much of the bottom portion of the vehicle crumpled like an empty soda can.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 21 Nov. 2025
Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
Ball collided hard with Lee and both crumpled quickly to the floor, quieting the arena while many looked on anxiously.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 3 Feb. 2026
An employee wiped their mouth with a paper towel, crumpled it and threw it away, then returned to food prep area without changing gloves or washing hands.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
january 30, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Graham had also been a key supporter of escalation closer to home, in Venezuela, whose government was also being crumpled by the White House into the shape of a singular terrorist network.
—Séamus Malekafzali, Washington Post, 8 Jan. 2026
Then, after Barnes had dragged Newcastle level and the home side had built up attacking pressure, Thiaw crumpled under a challenge from Calvert-Lewin inside his own box, stuck out an arm and handled Jaka Bijol’s nod-down.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
The Nuggets were playing the Miami Heat when Jokic crumpled to the ground holding his knee at the tail end of the first half.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 Dec. 2025
The concept applies to gift bags, sturdy boxes, and tissue paper that hasn’t been crumpled beyond a little smoothing.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
In a post on X Friday morning, a user by the name of Starship Gazer, whose profile describes nearly half a decade of documenting Starship's development, posted an image of Booster 18 with much of the bottom portion of the vehicle crumpled like an empty soda can.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 21 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumpled
Verb
-
Late in the third quarter, Buzelis turned away from the basket and scrunched up his face in a grimace of disgust.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Fatigue is just part of the deal this season with the schedule scrunched up because of the Olympics.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Bulls eventually collapsed in a 136-120 loss to the Nuggets before a sellout crowd of 20,939, but the start of the latest rebuild that can’t be called a rebuild was off to an interesting first step nonetheless.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Desperate social media posts from residents reached a fever pitch over the past week, with residents sharing photos of sheets of ice on exterior walls and a ceiling collapsed on cars in a garage.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Minutes stretched into hours as Evelyn focused on ensuring her wedding ring didn't slip off her fingers, now waterlogged and wrinkled.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Mushy, wrinkled, moldy, or acidic-smelling grapes should only be food for your compost.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Robinhood shares tumbled 10% after the fintech app missed fourth-quarter revenue estimates.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Vizcaino tumbled from his vehicle and allegedly attempted to carjack multiple nearby vehicles while wielding a knife.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Parchment may need to be cut or folded to get the right shape, while a lid is designed to fit its container perfectly.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Consumer advocates estimate that residential electricity costs are up close to 30% for many households since 2021 once rate hikes, fees, and fuel adjustments are folded in.—
Ashley Lutz,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crumpled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumpled. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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