crumpling

verb

present participle of crumple
1
as in scrunching
to create (as by crushing) an irregular mass of creases in crumpled the piece of paper and angrily threw it in the wastebasket

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2
as in collapsing
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

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 crumpling Euphoric players cavorting in disbelief, long-suffering fans crumpling to their knees in tears, commentators’ voices cracking at the drama of it all. — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 27 July 2026 Moses Moody scored 23 points before crumpling to the floor with an apparently serious left knee injury late in overtime as the Golden State Warriors beat Dallas 137-131 on Monday night, extending the Mavericks' home losing streak to 12 games, their longest in 32 years. — CBS News, 24 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 Kamau fading, then lunging, then crumpling to the pavement at the line. — Kevin Sintumuang, Outside, 11 Mar. 2026 The question is whether the world can take that long of a shock without crumpling beneath the weight of rising inflation and staggering growth. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2026 Singh’s truck blocked both lanes of the northbound Turnpike, leading the Chrysler Town & Country minivan the three friends were riding in to slam into the semi’s 18-wheeler trailer, crumpling underneath it. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumpling
  1. scrunching
  2. collapsing
  3. folding
  4. tumbling
  5. wrinkling
Verb
  • Pick Ups Toe pick-ups involve picking up small items by scrunching your toes around them.
    — Jennifer Klump, Verywell Health, 17 July 2026
  • In the meantime, Atomi encourages people to try the supine core and toe-scrunching exercises at home.
    — Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of scrunching
Verb
  • Scientists have discovered that copper melts gradually rather than collapsing all at once under extreme heat.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Videos posted to social media showed buildings collapsing and panicked residents running and screaming, as dust filled the sky.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of collapsing
Verb
  • After ejection, the aircraft unfolds its folding wings and transitions to aerodynamic flight.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Hanna floated the idea of eventually selling Go Two to a larger company or folding it into a bigger portfolio down the line.
    — Kristi Dosh, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of folding
Verb
  • White, the former Illinois secretary of state, is on the Snowballs’ advisory board, and Emmanuel McGhee, the tumbling team’s head coach, is also a coach for the Snowballs.
    — Chris Placek, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Wall Street investors sent Adobe shares tumbling from a 2021 high of $661 per share to as little as $202 in mid-June, when CFO Dan Durn announced his departure for a similar position at chipmaker Marvell.
    — David Bloom, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of tumbling
Verb
  • Highly versatile for work or travel, reviewers rave that the soft fabric packs beautifully without wrinkling.
    — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Linen has a reputation for wrinkling, but the beauty of these pants is that the creases look intentional.
    — Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026
Definition of wrinkling

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Cite this Entry

“Crumpling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumpling. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crumpling

Nglish: Translation of crumpling for Spanish Speakers

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