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
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Pakistan test captain Shan Masood made an unbeaten 69, but rest of the Multan batting crumbled against pace and spin.
—ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Apr. 2026
Top with baked cookie crumbles.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crumble
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Verb
Under the proposal, Berlin would increase its budget by one fifth in 2027 compared to this year, requiring it to borrow upwards of $200 billion to revive its military industry and modernize crumbling infrastructure.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Pakistan test captain Shan Masood made an unbeaten 69, but rest of the Multan batting crumbled against pace and spin.
—ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
This white chocolate bar is creamy and ultra-sweet, and the great minds at TJ’s were smart to distract from the one-note flavor with crunchy little cookie crumbles.
—Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Apr. 2026
Top with baked cookie crumbles.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crumble
Cite this Entry
“Crumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crumble. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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