to crumple

Examples

• All

• With a flourish, the laborer pulls a crumpled dollar from his pocket and unfolds it.

  Fiction book (1991)

• See, what you gotta do is crumple the pages so you can get the air in there, okay?

  11:14 (2003)

• Plus, did you see him crumple that flower?

  The Star (2017)

• Now, no matter how much you crumple up a dollar bill, you can never take away its value.

  Boy Erased (2018)

• Write your problems on paper, crumple them up, and throw them into the basket.

  Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018)

• Miranda shrugged again and began to crumple the piece of paper.

  Fiction book (1990)

• I found it crumpled up behind the sports pages... ...on the floor of David's bedroom.

  Anger Management (2003)

• Dan opens the combination padlock to his locker and deposits the crumpled photo inside.

  Fiction book (1992)

• When the guard comes back, Chase hands him the crumpled sweepstakes form with Larry's scribbling all over it.

  Fiction book (1992)

• She decided to crumple the letter and toss it in the trash.

Synonyms

W

to wrinkle

vsto crumple

56 2.1

To make a small fold in cloth, paper, or skin

is more forceful, producing deeper, less regular creasing

P

to pucker

vsto crumple

25 5.2

To make small wrinkles in skin or cloth

is more about broad crushing that creates larger, looser folds

C

to crease

vsto crumple

18 2.3

To make a line in cloth or paper by folding it

is a heavier action that crushes material into larger, irregular folds

C

to crinkle

vsto crumple

12 3.7

Form small lines on paper, skin, or cloth

is a stronger action that makes wider, more crushed folds

S

to scrunch

vsto crumple

• Informal

9 5.5

Squeeze something until it becomes wrinkled or folded

is similar but often produces bigger, messier creases from strong pressure

R

to rumple

vsto crumple

6 5.4

To make clothes or hair wrinkled and messy

is more about forcefully crushing into heavy, flattened creases

K

to knit

vsto crumple

3 4.2

To bring the eyebrows together to make small lines on the forehead

is a heavier press that makes larger, messier areas of damage

C

to crimp

vsto crumple

2 6.7

To make hair into small tight waves using a tool

is different by crushing into flattened creases rather than tight waves

S

to scrunch up

vsto crumple

• Informal

1 4.1

To press something so it becomes wrinkled, for example paper or your face

is comparable but tends to mean a firmer, more crushing action

R

to ruck

vsto crumple

1 9.6

To form wrinkles or folds in cloth

is a stronger compressing motion that flattens and twists the material

R

to ruffle up

vsto crumple

1 4.2

To make a smooth surface uneven or wrinkled

is stronger, causing compacted, deeper creases rather than light disturbance

R

to ruck up

vsto crumple

8.4

To become wrinkled and folded into small ridges

is more forceful and usually creates bigger, irregularly crushed ridges

R

to ruckle

vsto crumple

9.9

To make small folds in cloth by pressing or gathering it

is harsher, implying heavier crushing and more disorderly creasing

C

to cockle

vsto crumple

9.5

To make a surface form small waves or ripples

is more about forceful crushing that produces irregular, flattened wrinkles

Antonyms

S

smooth

256 1.0

A surface that is even and not rough

F

to flatten

23 2.6

Make something flat and smooth by pressing it

How Wrinkled

to crush

401 1.6

to crumple

29 3.4

to wrinkle

56 2.1

to rumple

6 5.4

to crease

18 2.3

Surface Forms

Etymology