crumpled
Americanadjective
-
rumpled; wrinkled; crushed.
-
bent in a spiral curve.
a crumpled ram's horn.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of crumpled
1275–1325; Middle English; variant of crimpled, past participle of crimple
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.
As the lava cooled and contracted, it folded and crumpled, producing uneven features known as 'wrinkle ridges'.
From Science Daily • May 15, 2026
All they found was a crumpled bag of chips.
From Salon • May 12, 2026
Some of those attending the much talked about festival, which takes place over two weekends each year in Palm Springs, California, are ditching hastily assembled pop-up tents and crumpled gazebos.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
Colbert took a paper copy with the CBS statement, crumpled it, and put it in a plastic bag typically used to collect dog feces.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026
Max chases the ball while Helena waits, her nose poking through, and when he rolls the ball beneath the wire, I see the crumpled paper slip from her hand to his.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.