Definition

1. Verb (intransitive):

   • To break or fall apart into small fragments: To disintegrate into tiny pieces, often due to being dry, brittle, or old.
   • To decay or fall into ruin: To gradually deteriorate or collapse, often referring to structures, institutions, or abstract things.
   • To collapse or fail completely: To break down or come to an end, often suddenly or dramatically.

2. Verb (transitive):

   • To break something into small fragments: To cause something to break apart into crumbs or small pieces.

Usage Examples

• Intransitive Verb:

  • The old castle walls are starting to crumble. (The stone is disintegrating.)
  • Her confidence began to crumble under the pressure. (Her confidence deteriorated.)
  • The ancient manuscript crumbled at the touch. (It fell apart into fragments.)

• Transitive Verb:

  • Crumble the cheese over the salad. (Break the cheese into small pieces.)
  • He crumbled the dry leaves in his hand. (He crushed the leaves into bits.)

Advanced Usage

• "to crumble away": to gradually disintegrate or disappear over time.
  • The coastline is crumbling away due to erosion.
• "to crumble to dust/ashes": to disintegrate completely into a powdery substance; often used metaphorically for total destruction.
  • The old books had crumbled to dust.

Variants and Related Words

• Crumbly (adj): Having a texture that breaks apart easily.
  • This pastry is delicious but very crumbly.
• Crumbs (n): The small fragments or pieces that result from crumbling.
  • There were bread crumbs on the table.

Synonyms

• Disintegrate: To break into parts or components.
• Collapse: To fall down or give way suddenly.
• Decay: To rot or decompose.
• Fragment: To break or cause to break into pieces.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Crumble up: To crush something into a ball or compact mass of fragments.
  • He crumbled up the letter and threw it away.

Related Idioms

• The walls came crumbling down: A situation or institution collapses or fails completely. (Often used with "come").
  • After the scandal, the company's reputation came crumbling down.

Verb

1. fall into decay or ruin
   • The unoccupied house started to decay
2. break or fall apart into fragments
   • The cookies crumbled
   • The Sphinx is crumbling
3. fall apart
   • the building crumbled after the explosion
   • Negotiations broke down