crumbling

C3R1U1M3B3L1I1N1G2
/ˈkɹʌmblɪŋ//ˈkɹʌmbl̩ɪŋ/

adjective

That crumbles; that breaks into small pieces or particles.

“A rain of dust fell from the crumbling ceiling.”

Similar
chipfragmentbitchunktrancheclipcrumbcutting
Less commonScrabble 16
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Meanings

adjective
  1. That crumbles; that breaks into small pieces or particles.
  2. figurativelyIn a state of decline.

    A rain of dust fell from the crumbling ceiling.

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of crumble
nouncrumbling (plural crumblings)

plural crumblings

  1. Material that has crumbled away; crumbs.

    Blank I call it, but it was figured over with the patches that please a painter, repaired breaches, crumblings of plaster, extrusions of brick that had turned pink with time[…]

    1888, Henry James, The Aspern Papers

    Synonyms: chip, fragment, bit, chip, chunk, tranche, clip, crumb

Synonyms & antonyms

nounMaterial that has crumbled away; crumbs.

Similar
chipfragmentbitchipchunktrancheclipcrumbcuttingflakefleakfragmenthunklumpmammockortpiecepiecemealportion
Also see
bedraggledbitchipchunkclipcomminutioncrumbcuttingderelictfleakfragmenthunkmammockparticlepieceportionramshacklerun-downscrapscrapletslicesneadsnippetstecktatterdemalion

Translations

Esperanto diseriĝanta, disfalanta
  • diseriĝantathat crumbles, breaks into small pieces
  • disfalantain a state of decline

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with crumbling

stumbling
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

crumbling. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crumbling

MLA

“crumbling.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crumbling. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “crumbling,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crumbling.

Source: crumbling on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.