crumble
gb/kɹˈʌmbəl/ us/kɹˈʌmbəl/
B1
English
morzsol, morzsálódik, mállik, omladozik, összeomlik, széthullik, morzsasüti, morzsatészta, morzsa
VERB
B1
1
morzsol
B1
morzsálódik
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] crumbles [something] / [something] crumbles
Crumble the cheese over the salad.
Morzsold rá a sajtot a salátára.
The dry cookie crumbled as soon as I picked it up.
A száraz keksz rögtön szétmorzsálódott, amint kézbe vettem.
She crumbled the bread into the soup.
Learner examples
The cake crumbles easily.
A sütemény könnyen morzsálódik.
I crumbled some cheese on top.
Morzsoltam rá egy kis sajtot.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse crumble with crumple: you usually crumple paper, but crumble food like bread or cheese.
Meaning
break into small pieces
Collocations
crumble bread
|crumble feta
|crumble the biscuit
|crumbled cheese
|crumbled cookie
|crumble between your fingers
|crumble easily
|crumble into small pieces
|crumble the topping
|crumbles in your hand
Synonyms
break up (More general; not specifically into small crumbs.)
|
fragment (Slightly more formal; emphasizes pieces.)
|
crush (Often implies force; pieces may be finer.)
Antonyms
hold together (Stays in one piece instead of breaking.)
|
solidify (Becomes firm rather than breaking apart.)
Themes
daily_life
|food
|materials
Definition
To break into lots of small pieces.
To break something into many small pieces, or to fall apart into small pieces, especially when it is dry or fragile.
VERB
B2
2
Usage pattern:
[something] crumbles
The old stone steps are crumbling at the edges.
A régi kőlépcsőfokok szélei mállanak.
Without repairs, the building will slowly crumble.
Javítás nélkül az épület lassan omladozni fog.
Dry soil can crumble into dust in the summer heat.
Learner examples
The wall is crumbling.
A fal omladozik.
The cliff began to crumble.
A sziklafal omladozni kezdett.
Meaning
fall apart from age
Collocations
crumbled stone
|crumbled plaster
|crumble into dust
|crumble into rubble
|crumbling wall
|crumbling cliff
|crumbling ruins
|begin to crumble
|crumble at the edges
|crumble over time
Synonyms
disintegrate (More formal; suggests breaking into very small parts.)
|
erode (Emphasizes being worn away by wind, water, etc.)
|
collapse (Often sudden; focuses on falling down.)
Antonyms
stand firm (Remains stable and does not break.)
|
endure (Lasts over time without falling apart.)
Themes
nature
|buildings
|materials
Definition
To slowly fall apart because it is old or weak.
To gradually break apart, wear away, or collapse because of age, damage, or erosion.
VERB
B2
3
összeomlik
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone] crumbles
He tried to stay strong, but he crumbled when he saw her again.
Próbált erős maradni, de összeomlott, amikor újra meglátta.
She didn’t crumble after the rejection; she applied to other jobs.
Nem omlott össze az elutasítás után; más állásokra is jelentkezett.
I nearly crumbled under the pressure of the deadline.
Learner examples
I crumbled when I heard the news.
Összeomlottam, amikor meghallottam a hírt.
Meaning
lose control emotionally
Collocations
crumble in tears
|crumble under stress
|crumble under criticism
|crumble after the news
|begin to crumble
|almost crumble
|emotionally crumble
|crumble completely
|crumble inside
|crumble in public
Synonyms
break down (Very common; can include crying or losing control.)
|
fall apart (Informal; emphasizes not coping.)
Antonyms
stay calm (Keeps control of emotions.)
|
hold it together (Informal; manages emotions despite stress.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|health
Definition
To feel so upset that you cannot cope.
To suddenly become emotionally weak or unable to cope, especially after stress, criticism, or bad news.
VERB
B2
4
összeomlik
B1
széthullik
B2
Usage pattern:
[something] crumbles
Their agreement crumbled after a series of broken promises.
A megállapodásuk a sorozatos ígéretszegések után széthullott.
As evidence emerged, his argument began to crumble.
Ahogy előkerültek a bizonyítékok, az érvelése kezdett összeomlani.
Public trust crumbled during the scandal.
Learner examples
The plan crumbled.
A terv összeomlott.
Their relationship is crumbling.
A kapcsolatuk széthullóban van.
Meaning
gradually fail or collapse
Collocations
crumbled authority
|crumbled support
|crumble quickly
|crumble slowly
|crumble without trust
|crumbling relationship
|crumbling economy
|crumbling coalition
|crumbling argument
|crumbles under pressure
Synonyms
collapse (Can be sudden; often used for systems or plans.)
|
fall apart (More informal; common for relationships or plans.)
|
unravel (Suggests coming undone piece by piece.)
Antonyms
strengthen (Becomes stronger rather than weaker.)
|
stabilize (Stops changing and stays steady.)
Themes
society
|business
|relationships
|politics
Definition
To slowly become weak and then fail.
To gradually lose strength, support, or effectiveness until it fails or ends.
NOUN
B1
5
morzsasüti
B2
Usage pattern:
a [fruit] crumble
We had apple crumble with ice cream after dinner.
Vacsora után almás morzsasütit ettünk fagylalttal.
This café makes a great rhubarb crumble in spring.
Ebben a kávézóban tavasszal remek rebarbarás morzsasütit készítenek.
She baked a crumble using frozen berries.
Learner examples
I ate apple crumble.
Almás morzsasütit ettem.
We made a crumble for dessert.
Morzsasütit készítettünk desszertnek.
Meaning
baked fruit dessert with topping
Collocations
apple crumble
|rhubarb crumble
|berry crumble
|make a crumble
|serve with custard
|serve with ice cream
|warm crumble
|homemade crumble
|a slice of crumble
|crumble for dessert
Synonyms
crisp (Common US term for a very similar dessert, often with oats.)
Antonyms
savory dish (Opposite category: not a sweet dessert.)
Themes
food
|cooking
|daily_life
Definition
A fruit dessert with a crumbly top.
A dessert made with cooked fruit covered with a crumbly baked topping, usually served hot.
NOUN
B2
6
morzsatészta
B2
morzsa
B2
Usage pattern:
make the crumble / sprinkle the crumble over [fruit]
Make the crumble and sprinkle it over the fruit evenly.
Készítsd el a morzsát, és egyenletesen szórd a gyümölcsre.
I added oats to the crumble for extra crunch.
Zabpelyhet adtam a morzsához, hogy még ropogósabb legyen.
Chill the crumble before baking if your kitchen is warm.
Learner examples
Sprinkle the crumble on top.
Szórd a morzsát a tetejére.
Meaning
crumbly topping mixture for dessert
Collocations
make the crumble
|rub butter into the crumble
|sprinkle the crumble
|crumble topping
|a thick layer of crumble
|sweet crumble
|oaty crumble
|golden crumble
|chilled crumble mixture
|crumble mix
Synonyms
topping (General word; not specific to this dessert.)
Antonyms
filling (The fruit layer, not the top layer.)
Themes
food
|cooking
Definition
The crumbly mixture you put on top of fruit before baking.
A mixture of flour, butter, sugar, and sometimes oats or nuts, used as the crumbly topping for a fruit crumble.
Grammar
Dictionary form
crumble
IPA
GB/kɹˈʌmbəl/
US/kɹˈʌmbəl/
Syllables & stress
crumble (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (crumble)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: crumble
- Plural: crumble, crumbles
Verb
- Base: crumble
- 3rd Person Singular: crumbles
- Present Participle: crumbling
- Past: crumbled
Word family
Forms
crumbles
noun
crumbling
verb
crumbled
verb
Core family
crumb
noun A2
crumbly
adjective
Expressions
crumble away
1/kɹˈʌmbəl əwˈeɪ/
phrasal verb
gradually break or disappear
To slowly break apart or slowly disappear.
Examples
- Over time, the plaster crumbled away from the wall.
- Their influence crumbled away after the scandal.
- The cliff edge is crumbling away into the sea.
Learner examples
- The rock is crumbling away.
crumble down
1/kɹˈʌmbəl dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
collapse or fall apart
To fall down in pieces.
Examples
- The old chimney finally crumbled down in the storm.
- Without maintenance, the wall will crumble down within a few years.
- Part of the ceiling crumbled down onto the floor.
Learner examples
- The wall crumbled down.
crumble to dust
1/kɹˈʌmbəl tə dˈʌst/
fixed phrase
turn into dust
To become dust because it is very dry or old.
Examples
- The dried clay crumbled to dust in my hands.
- Old paper can crumble to dust if it isn’t stored properly.
- The mortar between the bricks had crumbled to dust.
Learner examples
- The rock crumbled to dust.
crumble to pieces
1/kɹˈʌmbəl tə pˈisɪz/
fixed phrase
break completely apart
To break into many pieces; to be completely destroyed.
Examples
- The ancient vase crumbled to pieces when it hit the floor.
- Their plans crumbled to pieces after the funding was cut.
- The fragile cookie crumbled to pieces in the bag.
Learner examples
- The toy crumbled to pieces.
crumble under pressure
1/kɹˈʌmbəl ˈʌndɚ pɹˈɛʃɚ/
idiom
fail when stressed
To do badly when you feel a lot of stress.
Examples
- He’s talented, but he often crumbles under pressure in big games.
- She didn’t crumble under pressure; she stayed focused and finished the exam.
- Some teams crumble under pressure when they play away from home.
Learner examples
- I sometimes crumble under pressure.
crumble up
1/kɹˈʌmbəl ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
break something into crumbs
To make something into small pieces with your hands.
Examples
- Crumble up the crackers and use them as a topping.
- He crumbled up the stale bread to feed the birds.
- Crumble up the dried herbs between your fingers.
Learner examples
- Crumble up the bread.