crumble
Americanverb (used with object)
-
crumbles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
crumbled,
past participle, past
-
crumbling
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
crumbles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
crumbled,
past participle, past
-
crumbling
present participle
-
to fall into small pieces; break or part into small fragments.
- Synonyms:
- disintegrate
-
to decay or disintegrate gradually.
The ancient walls had crumbled.
noun
-
crumbles
plural
-
a crumbly or crumbled substance.
-
crumbles, bits of crisp bacon, bread, etc., added to other foods, especially as a topping.
-
British Dialect. crumb; particle; fragment.
verb
-
to break or be broken into crumbs or fragments
-
(intr) to fall apart or away
his resolution crumbled
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
crumblesimple
-
crumblessimple
-
have crumbledperfect
-
has crumbledperfect
-
am crumblingprogressive
-
are crumblingprogressive
-
is crumblingprogressive
-
have been crumblingperfect progressive
-
has been crumblingperfect progressive
Past
-
crumbledsimple
-
had crumbledperfect
-
was crumblingprogressive
-
were crumblingprogressive
-
had been crumblingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of crumble
1375–1425; earlier crymble, crimble; late Middle English kremelen, akin to crome crumb; see -le
Explanation
To crumble is to come apart into tiny pieces. If the doughnuts you bring to work crumble before you get there, you co-workers will have nothing but crumbs to snack on. Baked goods seem to crumble easily, but other things tend to crumble too: old houses, over time; sand castles; fragile ruins; and art objects made from clay. Anything that falls apart, especially into small bits, can be said to crumble. The root of the word is the Old English gecrymman, "to break into crumbs," which in turn comes from cruma, "crumb or fragment."
Vocabulary lists containing crumble
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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.
See Examples For:
In effect, say critics, those cases tend to crumble unless a prosecutor can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a victim was unconscious—and, therefore, “physically helpless” and unable to communicate—not just stumbling drunk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
"The coastline flanking the sea arch has shown signs of instability for years," NPS, which warned in 2021 that the arch would eventually crumble, said in a statement.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
Nearly 8.3 million refugees and other forcibly displaced people face losing vital assistance from UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency warned Tuesday, as protection services crumble due to "severe" funding cuts.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
A financial plan built for age 90 may crumble if a person lives to 110.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
All the handholds in reach above and below had collapsed with the rock; the only grips looked like they would crumble if he touched them.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
As sentiment about AI crumbles, Klement said the stock market could fall about 35% — hence his 5,000 target for the S&P 500.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
Cake crumbles, graham-cracker crust toppings and star-spangled sprinkles are a whole other challenge.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
It’s not like it used to be, back in the bad old days of crumbles and collapses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 22, 2026
Then add the feta as a single slab, not crumbles.
From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2026
I hand him a slice of bread, and when he thinks I’m not looking, he breaks off a corner and crumbles it on the floor for the chickens.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
Sri Lanka lost two wickets without a run on the board and crumbled to 45 all out in less than 10 overs of chaos that included three run-outs.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
The planters are original to the stadium’s 1962 construction, and many had crumbled badly enough over the decades to need painstaking repair.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
The Swedish American Investment Corp. put most of its assets under the sway of Ivar Kreuger, an aggressive dealmaker who later died in an apparent suicide after his business empire crumbled.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
At her previous tournament in Toronto, she lost to Russian world number 19 Ekaterina Alexandrova in the last 16 as her serve crumbled.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
Oliver’s expression crumbled, a light dimming in his eyes.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Beyond staff shortages, teachers and pupils must also contend with crumbling school buildings, which a 2023 Senate report estimated would require billions of euros to renovate and adapt to a changing climate.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
He said the crumbling boardwalk is a historic thread in the city’s fabric.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
Swarms of selfie-stick wielding tourists pose for pictures among crumbling buildings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
While he said "not all" French schools were crumbling, he promised further investment in education, adding: "If we need to do more, we'll have to see."
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
She looks like she is crumbling inward, caving like a terrible weight is pressing on her.
From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
