as in disintegration
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as in deteriorating
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 crumbling
Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Dec. 2025
The essay moves through three parts, from an opening scene of conflict to a middle section that narrates how Didion gradually grew to distrust police, and onto a last section that reflects on the crumbling of police authority and credibility.
—Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025
This familial crumbling due to politics is very present today.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 14 Nov. 2025
Caldwell will play a pivotal role as the Wolves and Lynx explore a new arena, search for solutions to the league-wide crumbling of regional sports television networks and try to maximize revenue streams.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Frank’s crew rolls into the crumbling squat that is Colombian HQ, sporting body armor and flamethrowers.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2025
That’s because rent freezes discourage housing construction, leading to scarcity, crumbling buildings and higher prices over time.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2025
Boswell wasn’t crumbling quietly, scoring on both of its drives in the quarter.
—Jordan Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
Facing some quickly crumbling opposition from Arnold Schwarzenegger, Prop 50 was instigated as a response to Trump’s desire to retain GOP control of the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterms via surgical gerrymandering in Red States like Texas.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
Hearing the doctor’s words, Laura Dern felt the walls crumbling around her.
—Julie Jordan, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
The designer fixed up the kitchen, replacing the crumbling floor and ceiling, and installed a vintage stove from eBay.
—Wendy Goodman, Curbed, 1 Nov. 2025
In addition to rampant inflation, goods shortages, and a crumbling labor market, the liquid reserves held in Russia’s National Wealth Fund continue to decline precipitously, down to approximately $35 billion from $117 billion three years ago.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
However, the Facebook post specified that despite the building crumbling, business at The Singing Chef Cafe has been thriving.
—Verb
The ensuing 2022-23 season saw Rayo beat both Barca and Madrid when Spain’s big two came to their crumbling Estadio Vallecas.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumbling
Noun
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The iceberg could be between days and weeks from disintegration, scientists say.—
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State capacity has eroded alongside economic collapse, mass migration and social disintegration.—
Verb
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For now, all that can be said for certain, judging by the latest implosion in his current employers West Ham’s fast-deteriorating season, is that nobody has benefited from his falling-out with Edu and the sequence of events that brought about Nuno’s exit from the City Ground.—
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Iran has been racked by protests over the past several days around deteriorating economic conditions in the country, made worse by a growing water crisis and severe sanctions against Tehran.—
Verb
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The next year, there was a nearly 10 percent rise in homelessness in the city, worsening an already difficult situation.—
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Hurricane Milton also opened Milton Pass, slicing Stump Pass Beach State Park in half and destabilizing nearby barrier islands, which could lead to worsening beach erosion.—
Verb
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The Sicilian way is to lie, like seals, sprawled along the rocks with a towel and a cold beer before descending abruptly into intense shades of blue.—
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The rampant unpacking of his account descending into ad hominem attacks feels counterintuitive to what people want from celebrities now, a patina of authenticity.—
Verb
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According to the company, the declining profits stemmed from low drug reimbursement rates and slow retail sales.—
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After all, there are signs that the economy is improving (unemployment and inflation are declining), but after the economic struggles of recent years, and with household debt still high, an additional financing source won't hurt, either.—
Cite this Entry
“Crumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumbling. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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