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

Joseph executed her role to perfection as she took all the pressure off 33-year-old Dottin, but when she departed with 41 runs still needed, there was some concern that West Indies could crumple.

From BBC

Israel’s offensive rests on an assumption - a gamble - that a point will come when Hezbollah will crumple, retreat from the border and stop firing into Israel.

From BBC

Shohei Ohtani said in Japanese of watching Betts crumple to the floor after he was struck by a heater delivered by Royals right-hander Dan Altavilla: “I think it was a tough moment for the team as a whole. I think he’s an indispensable player.”

From Los Angeles Times

The close-ups of their faces, as they crumple or freeze in the act of realization, are devastating, and not just for those undersold at $1.

From New York Times

I crumple the picture and toss it into the recycling.

From Literature

Related Words

• break down
• buckle
• crush
• scrunch