crumble

[kruhm-buhl]

verb (used with object)

crumbled, crumbling 

1. to break into small fragments or crumbs.

   Synonyms: shatter, mash

verb (used without object)

crumbled, crumbling 

1. to fall into small pieces; break or part into small fragments.

   Synonyms: disintegrate

2. to decay or disintegrate gradually.

   The ancient walls had crumbled.

noun

1. a crumbly or crumbled substance.

2. crumbles, bits of crisp bacon, bread, etc., added to other foods, especially as a topping.

3. British Dialect.,  crumb; particle; fragment.

crumble

/ ˈkrʌmbəl /

verb

1. to break or be broken into crumbs or fragments

2. (intr) to fall apart or away

   his resolution crumbled

noun

1. a baked pudding consisting of a crumbly mixture of flour, fat, and sugar over stewed fruit

   apple crumble

Other Word Forms

• crumblingness noun
• half-crumbled adjective
• uncrumbled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crumble¹

1375–1425; earlier crymble, crimble; late Middle English kremelen, akin to crome crumb; -le

Word History and Origins

Origin of crumble¹

C16: variant of crimble, of Germanic origin; compare Low German krömeln, Dutch kruimelen

Idioms and Phrases

see that's how the ball bounces (cookie crumbles).

Example Sentences

In a city with miles of crumbling sidewalks and countless tent villages, among other obvious failings, we can all find a thousand things to complain about.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Even for a Shelley-head like me, seeing the crumbling stone steps felt a bit anticlimactic.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But years of off-shoring, consolidation and cheap Chinese imports led to the loss of tens of thousands of jobs and the crumbling of an industry that once was a way of life.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And as such, Linda’s therapy sessions crumble just as fast as everything else around her does.

Read more on Salon

If I let up on my effort, if I turned my focus away, it might all crumble.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• break up 
• collapse 
• crush 
• decay 
• degenerate 
• deteriorate 
• disintegrate 
• dissolve 
• grind 
• tumble