crumble
verb (used with object)
to break into small fragments or crumbs.
had been crumbling
-
past perfect progressiveof crumble.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
When COVID-19 took hold in the United States, the country’s public health infrastructure had been crumbling for years.
From The Verge ● Jun. 3, 2021
My ramshackle mental defences had been crumbling for a while.
From Nature ● May 7, 2018
After the riot, this corner parcel was the site of an abandoned school that had been crumbling, which was torn down after a girl playing in the ruins was struck by a falling brick.
From Washington Times ● May 8, 2016
But even before the Libby indictments, the wall of silence had been crumbling.
From Time Magazine Archive
Since the beavers had left, the dam had been crumbling and loosening gradually, until it had become just a question of time before it would give way altogether, and drain the flooded land behind.
From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford
