crumple

[kruhm-puhl]

verb (used with object)

crumpled, crumpling 

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)

crumpled, crumpling 

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. to collapse or cause to collapse

   his courage crumpled

2. 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

Other Word Forms

• crumply adjective
• uncrumpling 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

But when we reached the nets he had left out overnight, his mood crumpled.

Read more on BBC

One morning, he took a crumpled piece of paper to his mom in bed.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Smith appeared to lose consciousness almost instantly but Jackson then mounted the crumpled wrestler and punched him in the head and face more than 20 times, according to the video.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

His adversaries think he’ll crumple like yesterday’s broadsheet when they turn him away, and are perturbed to realize he’s more like the human equivalent of tissue hanging onto the heel of a shoe.

Read more on Salon

On a play-action pass, Chargers running back Najee Harris crumpled to the turf before the fake handoff could fully develop, immediately grabbing his left ankle and tossing aside his helmet in pain.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• break down 
• buckle 
• crush 
• scrunch