1
as in to scrunch
to create (as by crushing) an irregular mass of creases in
crumpled the piece of paper and angrily threw it in the wastebasket
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to collapse
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure
the box crumpled when I accidentally dropped a brick on it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crumple
Why tire himself out, become completely exhausted and out of breath, crumple up the bedsheets that were changed just a few days ago, get someone else’s germs all over himself, and then reek of sweat afterward?
—
Agnieszka Szpila, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
First responders found Jenkins crumpled in the roadway, suffering from massive injuries across his body.
—Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News, 23 Mar. 2026
The Material steak knives arrived sharp, slicing through a piece of paper rather than crumpling its edge.
—Emily Johnson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
Spread the bedding out as much as possible in the machine so it’s not crumpled or folded.
—Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crumple
Agnieszka Szpila, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
First responders found Jenkins crumpled in the roadway, suffering from massive injuries across his body.
—Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News, 23 Mar. 2026
The Material steak knives arrived sharp, slicing through a piece of paper rather than crumpling its edge.
—Emily Johnson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
Spread the bedding out as much as possible in the machine so it’s not crumpled or folded.
—Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crumple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumple
Verb
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Reduce frizz, add shine, and offer your curls a soft, flexible hold with Bumble and Bumble's Curl Defining Styling Cream, which should be scrunched into wet hair from mid-shaft to ends before air drying or diffusing.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
25 Mar. 2026
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James then scrunched his face into a sarcastic, close-eyed smile.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Regional sports networks that handled the technical know-how of producing and distributing games across a home team’s market have largely collapsed.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
28 Mar. 2026
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How the deal collapsed Thune had a deal with Democratic senators after negotiating for weeks on their demands for new restrictions on the department’s immigration enforcement work.—
Stephen Groves,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Add remaining meringue in 3 batches, gently folding with a rubber spatula after each addition until only a few streaks of meringue remain (err on the side of undermixing to keep the cake batter billowy).—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 Apr. 2026
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Mindless chores like folding laundry or washing dishes are great for this.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tehran has kept a stranglehold over the strait, driving up global oil prices and causing financial markets to tumble.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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More recently, shares of alternative asset managers with the most exposure to enterprise software — which are especially vulnerable to artificial intelligence disruption — have tumbled.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, in the early 1900s, people feared broadcast radio would wrinkle their skin, dry up the sky, and even cause flooding by breaking up clouds.—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
3 Mar. 2026
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Now’s also a great time to stock up on timeless basics like the Lands’ End Super-T Short-sleeve T-shirt, a soft cotton-jersey T-shirt that won’t wrinkle, shrink, or pill over time, and is available in a whopping 13 shades that are currently 25 percent off.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crumple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumple. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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