as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the stock of the energy company crumbled after the revelations of fraud and mismanagement
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Recent Examples of crumble
But the federal government shuttered the other, Manhattan's Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC), in August 2021, citing issues — like lax security and crumbling infrastructure — that came to light after Jeffrey Epstein's death by suicide there two years earlier.
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Rachel Treisman, NPR, 5 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s oil infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and output has crumbled.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2026
Although inflation has since eased, deep structural weaknesses — massive debt, crumbling infrastructure and near-total dependence on oil — remain firmly embedded.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
The crumbling ruins of the old motor court are still there, and a Ford Super Deluxe from the 1940s rusts in a field.
—Pam Leblanc, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumble
Verb
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The price of gold, long understood to be the investor’s refuge against a deteriorating dollar, is sounding an alarm.—
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When those conditions are absent, performance deteriorates quickly.—
Verb
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The trail stays level early on and crosses the road a couple of times before descending through a grove of Arizona cypress to a shallow drainage.—
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The Senate’s negotiations on reopening the government are descending into another impasse.—
Verb
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The city said the decision was a result of several years worth of mounting safety concerns, ordinance violations and residential complaints about the vacant structure’s worsening state.—
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The immense costs associated with the program have only worsened the economic situation, leading to a more stifling environment.—
Verb
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When asked about its plans, McDonald's declined to comment to Fox News Digital.—
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Due to ongoing litigation, the airline declined to comment further.—
Cite this Entry
“Crumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumble. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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