crumble

1 of 2

verb

crum·​ble ˈkrəm-bəl How to pronounce crumble (audio)
crumbled; crumbling ˈkrəm-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce crumble (audio)

transitive verb

: to break into small pieces

intransitive verb

1
: to fall into small pieces : disintegrate
2
: to break down completely : collapse
marriages crumble

crumble

2 of 2

noun

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
Verb
Gorgeous acidity and elegant tannins support flavors of raspberry, cranberry, dark chocolate, olive paste, crumbled sage, anisette, and a touch of rose petal. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2024 Ferrari managed the project herself, acquiring the slice of land with crumbling stone walls from a family who had owned it for many years, then merging it with her own property. Rachel Kurzius, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2024 The Red Sox crumbled in similar fashion, going 22-34 over the final two months of the season to finish 78-84 and 11 games out of playoff contention. Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2024 Ultimately, earthquakes and other events caused the structure to crumble. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 The last few years have demonstrated the power of uncertainty and its ability to either crumble businesses or create growth opportunities. Jia Rizvi, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 In 2017, former Mayor John Cranley led a city initiative to save the crumbling building that once housed King Records – where music history, civil rights history and Cincinnati history intersect at the corner on a dead-end street in Evanston. Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 25 Feb. 2024 Millions of residents are impacted by the crumbling infrastructure daily. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2024 On the Palestinian side, the stature of the PA, which has been key to Washington’s thinking about postwar Gaza, has crumbled. Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Noun
The Taco de Pollo, a chicken taco, is topped with a heavy ladle of cilantro-lime crema, pico de gallo and sharp cotija crumbles. Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 As social systems crumble, interpersonal trust evaporates, giving rise to a crude, competitive Darwinism. Paula Ramón, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 This one, topped with crispy bacon crumbles, is a keeper. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 29 Jan. 2024 Dessert is usually a weekend thing (fruit pies in the summer or cakes and crumbles at other times of year; cookies are more frequent). Bhg Editors, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Jan. 2024 Like the savory side of Charlotte’s menu, these desserts evoke childhood nostalgia – like the chocolate layer cake with brownie crumbles – but take the presentation to an elevated place. Leslie Kelly, Forbes, 17 Feb. 2024 Next, are 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles, followed by the star of the show: 1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot. Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 8 Feb. 2024 For an extra-special touch, it's topped with chocolate cream cold foam and cookie crumbles. Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Feb. 2024 As the two begin their climb, Nate’s status as the risk-taker crumbles. Ira Porter, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crumble.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of Middle English kremelen, frequentative of Old English gecrymian to crumble, from cruma

First Known Use

Verb

1547, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1860, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crumble was in 1547

Dictionary Entries Near crumble

Cite this Entry

“Crumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crumble. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

crumble

verb
crum·​ble
ˈkrəm-bəl
crumbled; crumbling
-b(ə-)liŋ
1
: to break into small pieces
crumble bread
2
: to fall into ruin
relationships crumble

More from Merriam-Webster on crumble

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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