crumpled

UK: /ˈkrʌmp^əld/ US: (krum′pəld)

From the verb crumple: (⇒ conjugate)

crumpled is: ⓘ

v past

v past p

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

crum•pled  (krum′pəld), adj. 

1. rumpled;
   wrinkled;
   crushed.
2. bent in a spiral curve:
   a crumpled ram's horn.

• 1275–1325; Middle English; variant of crimpled, past participle of crimple

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

crum•ple /ˈkrʌmpəl/   v., -pled, -pling. 

1. to (cause to) shrivel into small wrinkles or into a small, compact mass: [~ + object]
   I crumpled the note in my hand.
   [~ + up + object]
   She crumpled up the note.
   [~ + object + up]
   She crumpled it up.
   [no object]
   The front of the car had crumpled from the impact.
2. to (cause to) give way suddenly;
   (cause to) collapse: [no object]
   The stairway crumpled under his weight.
   [~ + object]
   The explosion crumpled the building in seconds.

crum•ply, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

crum•ple  (krum′pəl), v., -pled, -pling, n. 
v.t. 

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.

v.i. 

3. to contract into wrinkles;
   shrink;
   shrivel.
4. to give way suddenly;
   collapse:
   The bridge crumpled under the weight of the heavy trucks.

n. 

5. an irregular fold or wrinkle produced by crumpling.

• 1400–50; late Middle English; variant of crimple

crum′ply, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

crumple / ˈkrʌmp^əl/ verb

1. when intr, often followed by up: to collapse or cause to collapse
2. when tr, often followed by up: to crush or cause to be crushed so as to form wrinkles or creases

noun

1. a loose crease or wrinkle

Etymology: 16th Century: from obsolete crump to bend; related to Old High German krimpfan to wrinkle, Old Norse kreppa to contract