CRUMBLE Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

crumble

verb

ˈkrəm-bəl

Definition of crumble

as in to deteriorate

to become worse or of less value the stock of the energy company crumbled after the revelations of fraud and mismanagement

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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.

Recent Examples of crumble In Frankfurt, a gray city crumbling at the corners and still finding its footing after the war, though somehow doing its best to pretend all is well, Mann and Erika are greeted by the mayor and hustled off to a press conference. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 23 Oct. 2026 There are so many flaws in the aging, crumbling infrastructure of the internet. — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026 Door frames stacked like cards lean against a far wall beside pallets of crumbling Solnhofen limestone floor tiles. — Tara Anne Dalbow, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026 The company crumbled after John Carreyrou, then a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, broke the story in 2015 that Theranos wasn’t using its own technology to run most of its blood tests. — Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crumble

Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumble

Verb

Netanyahu faces an international arrest warrant, experts have accused Israel of genocide, and Israel’s image has further deteriorated with a spike in settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

— Josef Federman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Their return on investment becomes clear when conditions deteriorate and the organization is still able to operate, invest and make decisions on its own terms.

— Erik Clarke, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of deteriorate

Verb

National reporters, big GOP donors and the president himself have descended on Kansas as Republicans seek to stave off Hamilton’s challenge.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
While descending, deputies said the climber ran into trouble after following an erroneous GPS route that led him onto the Whitney Glacier.

— Tim Fang, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of descend

Verb

Central bank holdings at the New York Fed declined 40 tonnes in August, Goldman added, while holdings at the Bank of England rose 46 tonnes.

— Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
For this story, however, the district declined to comment due to Ortiz’s lawsuit, which is ongoing.

— Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of decline

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crumb

crumble

crumbled

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“Crumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumble. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of crumble

verb

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