crumble

UK: /ˈkrʌmb^əl/ US: /ˈkrʌmbəl/ ,(krum′bəl)

Inflections of 'crumble' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

crumbles

v 3rd person singular

crumbling

v pres p

crumbled

v past

crumbled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

crum•ble /ˈkrʌmbəl/   v., -bled, -bling. 

1. to (cause to) break into small fragments: [no object]
   The ancient paper crumbled in his hands.
   [~ + object]
   I crumbled the dried leaves in my fingers.
2. [no object] to disintegrate gradually;
   collapse;
   lose strength:
   The ancient empire was crumbling from within.

crum•bly, adj., -bli•er, -bli•est. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

crum•ble  (krum′bəl), v., -bled, -bling, n. 
v.t. 

1. to break into small fragments or crumbs.

v.i. 

2. to fall into small pieces;
   break or part into small fragments.
3. to decay or disintegrate gradually:
   The ancient walls had crumbled.

n. 

4. a crumbly or crumbled substance.
5. Food crumbles, bits of crisp bacon, bread, etc., added to other foods, esp. as a topping.
6. British Terms crumb;
   particle;
   fragment.

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

crum′bling•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. mash, shatter.
• 2. disintegrate.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

crumble / ˈkrʌmb^əl/ verb

1. to break or be broken into crumbs or fragments
2. (intransitive) to fall apart or away

noun

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

Etymology: 16th Century: variant of crimble, of Germanic origin; compare Low German krömeln, Dutch kruimelen