Library / English Dictionary

CRUMPLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become wrinkled or crumpled or creased

Example:

This fabric won't wrinkle

Synonyms:

crease; crinkle; crumple; rumple; wrinkle

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "crumple" is one way to...):

fold; fold up (become folded or folded up)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence examples:

The sheets didn't crumple

These fabrics crumple easily

Sense 2

Meaning:

To gather something into small wrinkles or folds

Example:

She puckered her lips

Synonyms:

cockle; crumple; knit; pucker; rumple

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "crumple" is one way to...):

crease; crinkle; crisp; ruckle; scrunch; scrunch up; wrinkle (make wrinkles or creases on a smooth surface; make a pressed, folded or wrinkled line in; 'crisp' is archaic)

Verb group:

draw (contract)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They crumple the sheets

Sense 3

Meaning:

Fold or collapse

Example:

His knees buckled

Synonyms:

buckle; crumple

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "crumple" is one way to...):

break; cave in; collapse; fall in; founder; give; give way (break down, literally or metaphorically)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sense 4

Meaning:

Fall apart

Example:

Negotiations broke down

Synonyms:

break down; collapse; crumble; crumple; tumble

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "crumple" is one way to...):

change integrity (change in physical make-up)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Credits

 Context examples: 

The man struck the shrewd blow he had purposely withheld for so long, and Buck crumpled up and went down, knocked utterly senseless.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

A crumpled, disintegrated newspaper revealed itself as the Chicago Democrat, though the date had been obliterated.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

From his bosom to his lips came the crumpled veil, and he breathed a vow that if valor and goodwill could raise him to his lady's side, then death alone should hold him back from her.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He was lounging upon the sofa in a purple dressing-gown, a pipe-rack within his reach upon the right, and a pile of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly studied, near at hand.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Holmes held up a crumpled branch of flowering gorse.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"See that," Joe said, holding up a filmy corset-cover that he could have crumpled from view in one hand.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He held up a little crumpled piece of paper.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Next morning Fred showed me one of the crumpled flowers in his vest pocket, and looked very sentimental.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The first struck fifty feet to windward of the boat, the second alongside; and at the third the boat-steerer let loose his steering-oar and crumpled up in the bottom of the boat.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The young man took from his waistcoat a crumpled envelope, and turning to the table he shook out upon it five little dried orange pips.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)