crumbled; crumbling
ˈkrəm-b(ə-)liŋ 
: to break into small pieces
1
: to fall into small pieces : disintegrate
2
: to break down completely : collapse
marriages crumble
1
: something crumbled : fine debris
2
Examples of crumble in a Sentence
Verb
Crumble the cookies into small bits.
The recipe calls for the herbs to be crumbled.
bones so old they had crumbled to dust
She was extremely depressed after her marriage crumbled.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jim Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
Cloistered within the dense Mediterranean scrub lay crumbling remnants of bunkers and barracks.
—Gina Decaprio Vercesi, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2025
Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2025
In a sublimely unsubtle metaphor for these two’s relationship, the spaghetti tower they’re tasked with building crumbles under the weight of a single marshmallow.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crumble
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Verb
Marcos appeared on nationwide television around midnight shortly after Duterte was flown out and denied the allegations of the vice president, who has had a bitter falling out with him after their whirlwind political alliance as running mates in the 2022 elections crumbled.
—Jim Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
Cloistered within the dense Mediterranean scrub lay crumbling remnants of bunkers and barracks.
—Gina Decaprio Vercesi, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
Kyiv's troops have repelled months of Russian counteroffensives, but recent weeks have seen their salient crumble and Russian forces retake significant ground.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2025
In a sublimely unsubtle metaphor for these two’s relationship, the spaghetti tower they’re tasked with building crumbles under the weight of a single marshmallow.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crumble
Cite this Entry
“Crumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crumble. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.
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