1
as in to scrunch
to create (as by crushing) an irregular mass of creases in
crumpled the piece of paper and angrily threw it in the wastebasket
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2
as in to collapse
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure
the box crumpled when I accidentally dropped a brick on it
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Recent Examples of crumple
Near Bangkok’s popular Chatuchak market, a 33-story building under construction, with a crane on top, crumpled into a cloud of dust, and onlookers could be seen screaming and running in a video posted on social media.
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David Rising, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
The area of the car between the front bumper and the cabin is designed to absorb energy from crashes by crumpling.
—Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 27 Mar. 2025
Additionally, Jalen Hurts had a 44-yard touchdown run of his own and ended with 70 yards on seven carries, further illustrative of how Philly’s unrelenting pressure will eventually produce cracks that crumple a hull.
—J.j. Bailey, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
The ruling Communist Party struck a note of confidence even as markets in Hong Kong and Shanghai crumpled.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crumple
David Rising, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
The area of the car between the front bumper and the cabin is designed to absorb energy from crashes by crumpling.
—Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 27 Mar. 2025
Additionally, Jalen Hurts had a 44-yard touchdown run of his own and ended with 70 yards on seven carries, further illustrative of how Philly’s unrelenting pressure will eventually produce cracks that crumple a hull.
—J.j. Bailey, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
The ruling Communist Party struck a note of confidence even as markets in Hong Kong and Shanghai crumpled.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crumple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumple
Verb
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As Chelsea, Wood widens her eyes and slants her eyebrows up when confused, bares her teeth and scrunches her whole face in terror, and barely contains her smile when smitten.—
Ashliene McMenamy,
Allure,
8 Apr. 2025
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The fetal folds are creases along the calf’s skin that come from being scrunched inside its mother’s uterus for about 18 months.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The defense that started so well last season collapsed when Billings joined Brisker on the sidelines.—
Phil Rogers,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Additional footage shows collapsed buildings and wreckage in the streets.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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This small, compact portable charger folds down to about the size of an AirPods Pro case (2.25-by-1.0 inches) yet has enough power to charge two Apple devices at once (including an iPhone 12+, Apple Watches, and AirPods).—
Cierra Cowan,
PC Magazine,
14 Apr. 2025
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Hadid has been enveloped into the Ryan Murphy fold—following in the footsteps of Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Emma Roberts, Kim Kardashian et al—now filmng for his new show The Beauty.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Stocks tumbled Wednesday after Nvidia warned new U.S. restrictions on exports to China will chisel billions of dollars off its results, with market losses accelerating after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell cautioned about the economic risks from President Trump's tariffs.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2025
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Prices for Canadian imports tumbled 1.5% while goods from Mexico were 0.3% cheaper.—
Lucia Mutikani,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Ike Barinholtz’s Sal Saperstein listens with his eyebrows up, his forehead wrinkled into a semi-permanent state of worry.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2025
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Over millions of years, rain, flash floods, sandstorms and earthquakes have scoured and wrinkled the soft sandstone into the maze-like badlands.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crumple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumple. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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