crumbled 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of crumblednext
as in disintegrated

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crumbled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of crumble
as in deteriorated
to become worse or of less value the stock of the energy company crumbled after the revelations of fraud and mismanagement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 crumbled
Adjective
The pre-crumbled stuff will be too dry for this salad, which benefits from the creaminess of the fresh stuff stored in water or brine. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 2 June 2026 Top with crumbled cheese, drizzle of crema, dollops of salsa verde, and garnish of lime and cilantro. — Carole Kotkin, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
And over the years, this utopian town, which at the beginning looked great, has completely crumbled into a world of recluses and hoarders. — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2026 Creamy goat cheese pairs well with the peaches and cucumbers, but crumbled Boursin or feta make great substitutes. — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crumbled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumbled
  1. deteriorated
  2. descended
  3. corroded
  4. worsened
  5. contaminated
  6. declined
  7. tainted
Adjective
  • Clark said the supports are needed because equipment used in the investigation is too heavy and difficult to maneuver safely on the deteriorated floor.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
  • According to the officer, the decision to classify Sands' death as such was the result of the deteriorated condition of his body.
    — Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 27 June 2026
Definition of deteriorated
Verb
  • The one who does the best is Teresa with her poofy updo supporting a little crown and a corseted gown that looks like something Bertha Russel would have descended an elaborate staircase wearing.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said data shows at one point the plane descended more than 14,000 feet, or nearly three miles, in under 30 seconds — way faster than normal.
    — Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of descended
Adjective
  • The corroded terminal, the location, 30 seconds of video of the noise, the hypothesis that was ruled out.
    — Julien Vantyghem, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • And no amount of paint can fix an unstable, corroded piece of furniture.
    — Felicia Feaster, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of corroded
Verb
  • Many fire survivors have joined lawsuits against the city of Los Angeles and other entities over missteps that enabled or worsened the fire.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • That's important in late 2026, when PC shipments are down, and component prices have only worsened in recent months.
    — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of worsened
Adjective
  • To break the chains of infections stemming from contaminated needles, Soqo has proposed supplying thousands of sterile needles and syringes to communities of methamphetamine users.
    — David Cox, NPR, 26 Sep. 2026
  • After our investigation, my colleagues and I published a paper describing the anthrax cases from contaminated mail.
    — Daniel Jernigan, STAT, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of contaminated
Verb
  • Police initially declined to share details about the victim beyond his age and gender to The Times on Thursday night.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Warsh at the start of the summer declined to say whether rates should rise.
    — Taylor Millard, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of declined
Adjective
  • Some say that our country is too tainted and that political progress can be had only by extra-legal means.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Many Coloradans spent the last few months changing their diets, avoiding produce in fear of tainted food, as nearly 20,000 people across the country were sick after a historic cyclospora outbreak that came from contaminated lettuce.
    — Jaimie Dodge, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of tainted

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Cite this Entry

“Crumbled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumbled. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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