crumple

[ kruhm-puhl ]

verb (used with object)

, crum·pled, crum·pling.

1. to press or crush into irregular folds or into a compact mass; bend out of shape; rumple; wrinkle.
2. to cause to collapse or give way suddenly:

   That right hook to the midsection crumpled him.

verb (used without object)

, crum·pled, crum·pling.

1. to contract into wrinkles; shrink; shrivel.
2. to give way suddenly; collapse:

   The bridge crumpled under the weight of the heavy trucks.

noun

1. an irregular fold or wrinkle produced by crumpling.

crumple

/ ˈkrʌmpəl /

verb

1. whenintr, often foll by up to collapse or cause to collapse

   his courage crumpled

2. whentr, often foll by up to crush or cause to be crushed so as to form wrinkles or creases
3. intr to shrink; shrivel

noun

1. a loose crease or wrinkle

Derived Forms

• ˈcrumply, adjective

Other Words From

• crumply adjective
• un·crumpling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crumple¹

1400–50; late Middle English; variant of crimple

Word History and Origins

Origin of crumple¹

C16: from obsolete crump to bend; related to Old High German krimpfan to wrinkle, Old Norse kreppa to contract

Example Sentences

Thankfully, they have become less frequent, and when they do happen, I absorb them with a quick jerk of my torso and a slight crumple of my eyelids, making it almost imperceptible to anyone else.

From Time

Failing to account for the presence of your dog in that vehicle undermines every seatbelt, airbag, and crumple zone you just rolled into a monthly payment.

From Outside Online

The entire front of the car in front of the cabin is a crumple zone designed to absorb the impact in a crash before the energy can make its way to the cells.

From Popular-Science

But people were shocked to see Rice actually throw the punch and to watch her crumple.

From The Daily Beast

The man who would face a cannon's mouth would falter before the face of a woman whom he could crumple with one hand.

From Project Gutenberg

The life went out of her like the flame from a dying candle, and she seemed to shrink and crumple and to sway upon her feet.

From Project Gutenberg

They can't endure it; so much goodness breaks down their wing arches, and the glorious ones crumple together like tissue-paper.

From Project Gutenberg

She will wear a lovely dress she calls a tea-gown, all soft and lacey, and she doesn't mind how much I crumple it.

From Project Gutenberg

Then he seemed to crumple up entirely, and, falling forward, rolled with a loud splash into the river.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• break down
• buckle
• crush
• scrunch