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
Bud, Not Buddy
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Words to Know Before You Defrost the Bird
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Going Down: Synonyms for "Fall"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Perhaps inevitably, someone dug them up, handed them to a tabloid and waited for the man to crumble.
From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2026
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 sea arch will eventually crumble into the sea. However, others will replace it as the cliff slowly migrates inland."
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
Carmen said it slowly, as if she didn’t want the name to crumble on her lips.
From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older
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
"Today, that narrative crumbles, and it does so with the full force of a court ruling."
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
But any debate over female filmmakers in genre cinema crumbles under the considerable evidence and attendant indignation to be found in “1000 Women in Horror.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026
Then add the feta as a single slab, not crumbles.
From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2026
“Who knows? 45 Maybe someday, after all this crumbles away, the trees will be back, and these storms will make sense again.”
From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor
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
One source familiar with the negotiations said the states had four separate votes against settling on Sunday, but the resistance eventually crumbled with word that the WGA was backing out of the fight.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
They faced the most difficult batting conditions of the day in the opening hour and many teams would have crumbled at 71-5.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 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
Even the brick chimney was crumbled, a pile of rust red and gray.
From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake
More asbestos has been discovered in Parliament, the BBC has learnt, as MPs come under pressure to sign off on a major revamp of the crumbling home of UK democracy.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
They had the most sympathy with student complaints about the excessive size of classes and with the need to renovate the country's crumbling schools.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
Protesters are demanding the government boost spending on the education system by fixing crumbling infrastructure, reducing class sizes and hiring new teachers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
“Angelenos see the results in crumbling streets, buckled sidewalks and streetlights that stay dark,” proponents said in their ballot argument.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
The city made good on its promise to bulldoze blighted areas, demolishing thousands of derelict houses and hundreds of crumbling businesses in Hayti.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
