crumble
verb (used with object)
to break into small fragments or crumbs.
crumbled
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past participleof crumble.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof crumble.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
crumbleverb (used with object)to break into small fragments or crumbs.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Top each generously with chèvre — crumbled if firm, dolloped if soft and spreadable — and about ¼ cup of the crisp cornbread crumbs.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
I crumbled some of the cornbread into olive oil and toasted it in a skillet.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
The celebrations turned deadly around midnight in the town of Ciudad Rodrigo in the west, after a fountain crumbled under the weight of supporters who had climbed onto it.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
But the cluster of blue-paneled, four-story apartment buildings—constructed by a Turkish contractor—quickly crumbled into piles of twisted metal and plywood when the earthquakes rocked Venezuela’s northern coast.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
He crumbled his hoecake into the collard juice in his plate and began to eat with a new appetite.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
