crumple

[ kruhm-puhl ]

verb (used with object)

, crum·pled, crum·pling.

1. to press or crush into irregular folds or into a compact mass; bend out of shape; rumple; wrinkle.
2. to cause to collapse or give way suddenly:

   That right hook to the midsection crumpled him.

verb (used without object)

, crum·pled, crum·pling.

1. to contract into wrinkles; shrink; shrivel.
2. to give way suddenly; collapse:

   The bridge crumpled under the weight of the heavy trucks.

noun

1. an irregular fold or wrinkle produced by crumpling.

crumple

/ ˈkrʌmpəl /

verb

1. whenintr, often foll by up to collapse or cause to collapse

   his courage crumpled

2. whentr, often foll by up to crush or cause to be crushed so as to form wrinkles or creases
3. intr to shrink; shrivel

noun

1. a loose crease or wrinkle

Derived Forms

• ˈcrumply, adjective

Other Words From

• crumply adjective
• un·crumpling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crumple¹

1400–50; late Middle English; variant of crimple

Word History and Origins

Origin of crumple¹

C16: from obsolete crump to bend; related to Old High German krimpfan to wrinkle, Old Norse kreppa to contract

Example Sentences

Nino apologizes profusely to the dazed Gianni — who was fleeing bullies — and leaves him, in lieu of contact information, with a crumpled sketch of fireworks.

From New York Times

Huge metal containers – broken free from their articulated lorries – rested at unfathomable angles amid a jumble of cars, crumpled furniture and treacherous mud.

From BBC

For now, let’s celebrate the end of the most vexing, mean-spirited and household-dividing presidential election in modern times, as it heaves itself across the finish line and crumples in a lousy heap.

From Los Angeles Times

And while the way that England crumpled without Knight was indicative of her importance, it was also an alarming insight into how poorly prepared they are for her absence in the future.

From BBC

Behind the man, a woman lay on her left side, almost naked, on a crumpled white sheet.

From BBC

Related Words

• break down
• buckle
• crush
• scrunch