crumble

American  

[kruhm-buhl] / ˈkrʌm bəl /

verb (used with object)

crumbled, crumbling

1. to break into small fragments or crumbs.

   Synonyms:

   shatter, mash

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verb (used without object)

crumbled, crumbling

1. to fall into small pieces; break or part into small fragments.

   Synonyms:

   disintegrate

2. to decay or disintegrate gradually.

   The ancient walls had crumbled.

noun

1. a crumbly or crumbled substance.

2. crumbles, bits of crisp bacon, bread, etc., added to other foods, especially as a topping.

3. British Dialect. crumb; particle; fragment.

crumble British  

/ ˈkrʌmbəl /

verb

1. to break or be broken into crumbs or fragments

2. (intr) to fall apart or away

   his resolution crumbled

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noun

1. a baked pudding consisting of a crumbly mixture of flour, fat, and sugar over stewed fruit

   apple crumble

crumble Idioms  

1. see that's how the ball bounces (cookie crumbles).

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Other Word Forms

• crumblingness
  noun
• half-crumbled
  adjective
• uncrumbled
  adjective

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."

Example Sentences

The evidence suggests that extreme heating from the Sun is cracking the asteroid's surface, releasing trapped gases and causing the body to slowly crumble apart.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2026

In fact, tailwinds from 2025 are becoming headwinds, as energy prices climb and the K-shaped recovery starts to crumble: “Paper-rich consumers supported spending by running down savings, however this is already dissipating,’ Carroll writes.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Institutions don’t crumble overnight, and they certainly don’t collapse from the top.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

The gambit was meant to speed the agency’s approval should the Netflix deal crumble.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026

“It isn’t what you think, my dear. Please. Sit. Were family. Let’s discuss—” But Gherland felt himself crumble inside.

From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill

Related Words

• break up
• collapse
• crush
• decay
• degenerate
• deteriorate
• disintegrate
• dissolve
• grind
• tumble