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
Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Winter storms left its gazebo teetering, 50 feet of asphalt crumbling, and a dramatic 6 foot drop down to the sand.
—Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
The media covers it as a flash fire, not as a symptom of more dry rot in the crumbling of decorum and decency.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 21 Mar. 2026
As a seasoned journalist, writer, media analyst and a close observer of recent developments in AI, the exec offered a sharp insight into how rapidly developing technology is contributing to the crumbling of our understanding of media.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
As the tree grows, the roots will push out and possibly up, causing cracks and crumbling of the surfaces.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
The introduction of Allen Klein [the notorious business manager whom Lennon advocated to take over the Beatles' affairs] precipitates the band’s crumbling.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 26 Feb. 2026
Besides preventing mold and mildew, cleaning will also taper unpleasant odors and prevent cracking and crumbling of your seal.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026
Leveling threats of tariffs on adversaries and allies alike has been relatively easy, but the result has been a weakening of the economy and American trade ties, and a crumbling of the old global-trade system.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
Jason Ma, Fortune, 16 May 2026
The final sentence feels apt given that Starmer’s Labour administration is crumbling.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Ortiz, in turn, said the district suffered from issues like food deserts and crumbling infrastructure, despite Campos’s lengthy tenure on the council.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 14 May 2026
Starmer was supposed to be the adult in the room, a competent former chief prosecutor who could not only end the personality politics of Britain’s governing class but also address its crumbling public services and sense of wider societal malaise.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 12 May 2026
In the South, particularly the Appalachian Mountains, people have long enjoyed Cornbread and Milk, a creation made by crumbling leftover cornbread into a tall drinking glass and topping it with milk.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 May 2026
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Cuban authorities have not accepted an offer of $100 million in humanitarian aid from the United States to help a population struggling with widespread shortages and a crumbling economy.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026
Gang violence, death threats and a crumbling judicial system have stalled an ongoing investigation.
—David Fischer, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026
The top 3 issues facing our communities in District 2 and San Diego are the high cost of living, crumbling infrastructure and overreaching outsiders.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Noun
The video marked the crumbling of his alibi, legal experts told CNN at the time.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Winter storms left its gazebo teetering, 50 feet of asphalt crumbling, and a dramatic 6 foot drop down to the sand.
—Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
The media covers it as a flash fire, not as a symptom of more dry rot in the crumbling of decorum and decency.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 21 Mar. 2026
As a seasoned journalist, writer, media analyst and a close observer of recent developments in AI, the exec offered a sharp insight into how rapidly developing technology is contributing to the crumbling of our understanding of media.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
As the tree grows, the roots will push out and possibly up, causing cracks and crumbling of the surfaces.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
The introduction of Allen Klein [the notorious business manager whom Lennon advocated to take over the Beatles' affairs] precipitates the band’s crumbling.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 26 Feb. 2026
Besides preventing mold and mildew, cleaning will also taper unpleasant odors and prevent cracking and crumbling of your seal.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026
Leveling threats of tariffs on adversaries and allies alike has been relatively easy, but the result has been a weakening of the economy and American trade ties, and a crumbling of the old global-trade system.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
The mounting costs of Putin’s war on Ukraine have contributed to the nation’s shift, as Russians grapple with higher inflation, more taxes, crumbling infrastructure, tighter censorship, and myriad new restrictions.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 16 May 2026
The final sentence feels apt given that Starmer’s Labour administration is crumbling.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Ortiz, in turn, said the district suffered from issues like food deserts and crumbling infrastructure, despite Campos’s lengthy tenure on the council.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 14 May 2026
Starmer was supposed to be the adult in the room, a competent former chief prosecutor who could not only end the personality politics of Britain’s governing class but also address its crumbling public services and sense of wider societal malaise.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 12 May 2026
In the South, particularly the Appalachian Mountains, people have long enjoyed Cornbread and Milk, a creation made by crumbling leftover cornbread into a tall drinking glass and topping it with milk.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 May 2026
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Cuban authorities have not accepted an offer of $100 million in humanitarian aid from the United States to help a population struggling with widespread shortages and a crumbling economy.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026
Gang violence, death threats and a crumbling judicial system have stalled an ongoing investigation.
—David Fischer, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026
The top 3 issues facing our communities in District 2 and San Diego are the high cost of living, crumbling infrastructure and overreaching outsiders.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumbling
Noun
-
He was portrayed as driving a wedge between Montag and her roommate, Lauren Conrad, leading to the disintegration of their friendship.—
Jonathan J. Cooper,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
-
Tim Darcy has always been the man of a thousand voices — a wildly imaginative singer playing different roles, capturing the disintegration of the self from different angles.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Her family has said that her health had been deteriorating in prison, in part because she was heavily beaten during her arrest.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
-
Giuliani's doctor, Maria Ryan, told Fox News correspondent Danamarie McNicholl that the former mayor began feeling ill after returning from a trip to Paris, with his breathing deteriorating to the point that he was placed on a ventilator.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Higher yields boost interest costs, which are running at $1 trillion a year, worsening the budget deficit and adding even more to the total debt burden.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
-
Samsung has warned that the AI boom is worsening chip shortages and creating headwinds for its own smartphone and display units.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The steeply descending main street of Haworth is filled with tea shops, pubs and stores clearly dedicated to pleasing Brontë pilgrims, but its basic form, including the original stationery store where the sisters once bought their paper, remains the same.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
Case in point is the Haryma necklace, where yellow and orange diamonds come to play with garnets and white diamonds to create a shading effect on the necklace and figurative tiger descending a staircase arrangement supported by five imperial topazes, totaling just over 28 carats.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Black Bear officials cited the program's declining participation rates and finances as the reason.—
Kenny Jacoby,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
Sadly, bat populations are declining rapidly in North America.—
The Conversation,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumbling. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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