crumbles

verb

present tense third-person singular of crumble
as in deteriorates
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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Example Sentences

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 crumbles That is the moment that everything crumbles for Rachel. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 May 2026 Loyalty, betrayal, illness and war all bear down on the group as the old order crumbles around them. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Feb. 2026 Academic success means little if a child crumbles under stress. — Dr. Mona Amin, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2025 However, the film often crumbles under the weight of the ambitions. — Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025 Toby’s display, overall, looks a lot nicer, but when Paul goes to take a slice of his cake from the chocolate case, the whole thing crumbles to a mess. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025 The song was inspired by surviving a toxic relationship, and then finding a true-hearted love that crumbles emotional walls. — Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 15 Jan. 2026 At times, the house would break apart onstage, with the top half lifted in the air, only for YoungBoy to start aggressively rapping, standing supreme while the house crumbles around him. — Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumbles
  1. deteriorates
  2. descends
  3. worsens
  4. declines
Verb
  • The delivery was a glimmer of good news in a living situation that deteriorates by the day.
    — Rick Jervis, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Breaking them down to save for a later date isn’t enough, as bugs will still nestle their way in even as the cardboard deteriorates.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2026
Definition of deteriorates
Verb
  • This is the leader who descends into the weeds, confirming every detail, not because the situation demands it but because something inside needs reassurance.
    — Karyn Gallant, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The virtual oar-yanking celebration in a baseball atmosphere was one of those weird juxtapositions that seem to get fostered whenever a World Cup fanbase descends upon a host city.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of descends
Verb
  • Once the finish is damaged, stains cling more easily, leading people to scrub even harder, which worsens the problem.
    — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 4 July 2026
  • From Montesquieu’s perspective, polarization worsens this appetite for disregarding constitutional norms.
    — Robert A. Ballingall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Definition of worsens
Verb
  • Many international students pay full tuition, turning them an increasingly important source of revenue as domestic enrollment declines.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Alan Jackson declines comment With that, the judge left the bench, taking no comment or questions from the lawyers present.
    — Kristina Rex, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of declines

Browse Nearby Words

crumbled
crumbles
crumbliness
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Cite this Entry

“Crumbles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumbles. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crumbles

Nglish: Translation of crumbles for Spanish Speakers

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