crumple

1 of 2

verb

crum·​ple ˈkrəm-pəl How to pronounce crumple (audio)
crumpled; crumpling ˈkrəm-p(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce crumple (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to press, bend, or crush out of shape : rumple
2
: to cause to collapse

intransitive verb

1
: to become crumpled
2

crumple

2 of 2

noun

: a wrinkle or crease made by crumpling
crumply adjective

Examples of crumple in a Sentence

Verb She crumpled the piece of paper into a ball and tossed it into the garbage can. The car's fender was crumpled in the accident. At the sight of blood, he crumpled to the floor.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Seconds later, the truck races back into view, barreling over Sloan, still crumpled on the ground, and fatally mowing down Carter, who had been standing on the sidewalk. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2024 Videos circulating on social media and verified by NBC News, showed several men watching the strike on Lebanon's capital from a distance, standing by their cars as the building crumples. Freddie Clayton, NBC News, 22 Oct. 2024
Noun
The Jamaican great crumples to the track with a left-leg injury while chasing a final gold medal for the Jamaican 4x100-meter relay team at the world championships in London. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2024 Unlike the Earth, our celestial companion lacks plate tectonics, so its brittle crust crumples into unstable ridges called thrust faults to accommodate its dwindling volume. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for crumple 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English crumplen, frequentative of Middle English crumpen

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crumple was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near crumple

Cite this Entry

“Crumple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crumple. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

crumple

verb
crum·​ple
ˈkrəm-pəl
crumpled; crumpling
-p(ə-)liŋ
1
: to press, bend, or crush out of shape
2
: to become crumpled
3

More from Merriam-Webster on crumple

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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