crumbled; crumbling
ˈkrəm-b(ə-)liŋ 
: to break into small pieces
1
: to fall into small pieces : disintegrate
2
: to break down completely : collapse
marriages crumble
1
: something crumbled : fine debris
2
Examples of crumble in a Sentence
Verb
Crumble the cookies into small bits.
The recipe calls for the herbs to be crumbled.
bones so old they had crumbled to dust
She was extremely depressed after her marriage crumbled.
Recent Examples on the Web
Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
Here’s what students and educators across the state told us about the floods and leaks, overcrowding and inaccessibility, safety and outages, crumbling buildings and heating and cooling problems that impact every part of their day.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 27 Apr. 2025
Jonathan Landay, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
The mushroom crumbles don’t have to be super thick.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crumble
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Verb
The ongoing humanitarian crisis is worsened by widespread poverty, food insecurity, and a crumbling health care system, displacing over a million people from their homes in search of safety.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
Here’s what students and educators across the state told us about the floods and leaks, overcrowding and inaccessibility, safety and outages, crumbling buildings and heating and cooling problems that impact every part of their day.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 27 Apr. 2025
Noun
Spiraling anxiety, declining health and watching Tesla's DEI commitment crumble, though, led her to quit.
—Jonathan Landay, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
The mushroom crumbles don’t have to be super thick.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crumble
Cite this Entry
“Crumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crumble. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
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