crumpled
crumpled — adjective
1. describes paper, cloth, or other thin material that has lots of small folds beca
describes paper, cloth, or other thin material that has lots of small folds because it was squeezed, stuffed, or not flattened.
Esme pulled a crumpled receipt from the bottom of her shopping bag.
a crumpled + noun (paper item)
The waiter found a crumpled napkin on the floor under the table.
crumpled + soft fabric item
Asher smoothed out a crumpled twenty-dollar bill before handing it to the cashier.
Indra's shirt looked crumpled after sitting in the suitcase for a week.
文法句型
a crumpled + noun
be crumpled
用法筆記
Most often used attributively in front of soft, thin items: paper, cloth, money, tissues. Predicative use (be crumpled) is fine too but usually adds a state-of-affairs feel.
常見錯誤
2. describes metal, a car, or similar hard object that has been pushed in hard from
describes metal, a car, or similar hard object that has been pushed in hard from the outside so its shape is broken and uneven.
Isabela took photos of her crumpled front bumper for the insurance claim.
crumpled + part of a vehicle
The fire crew pulled the driver out of the crumpled car beside the highway.
the crumpled + vehicle after a crash
Workers loaded the crumpled metal panels onto a truck for recycling.
Jabari stared at the crumpled hood of his bike after the truck reversed into it.
文法句型
a crumpled + vehicle/metal noun
用法筆記
Implies serious force — not just a small dent. Subject is usually a vehicle, vehicle part, or sheet of metal. Distinguish from sense 1: paper is crumpled by hand, metal is crumpled by impact.
常見錯誤
3. describes a face that is pulled into many small lines, usually because the perso
describes a face that is pulled into many small lines, usually because the person is about to cry or is in deep pain.
Reema knelt beside her son's crumpled face when she heard he had failed the audition.
crumpled + face (about to cry)
Cyrus looked at his grandmother's crumpled expression and held her hand tightly.
crumpled + expression (grief)
The little girl's crumpled face told everyone that her ice cream had hit the pavement.
Élise tried to hide her crumpled features from the camera at the funeral.
- contorted
stronger; twisted by pain or anger
- screwed up
informal; same image of a face pulled tight
文法句型
a crumpled face / expression
用法筆記
Almost always attributive with face / features / expression. Triggers a reading of strong, usually negative emotion (grief, pain, embarrassment), not a neutral wrinkled-from-age look.
常見錯誤
4. describes a body that has dropped to the ground or against something with legs a
describes a body that has dropped to the ground or against something with legs and arms folded under, because the person fainted, was hurt, or could not stand up.
Anya found her uncle crumpled on the kitchen floor after his heart attack.
be crumpled on + surface (collapsed person)
Piotr lay crumpled against the wall of the boxing ring after the final punch.
lay crumpled against + thing (after impact)
Hikers spotted a crumpled figure at the bottom of the cliff and called for help.
Hyun sat crumpled in the corner of the bus stop, too tired to move.
文法句型
be crumpled + on/in/against [place]
用法筆記
The body is bent and folded, not stretched out flat. Often used with sit / lie / find someone + 'crumpled'. Distinguish from sense 3: sense 3 is about the face only; sense 4 is about the whole body's posture.
常見錯誤
crumpled — verb
1. to squeeze paper, cloth, or another soft material in your hands so it loses its
to squeeze paper, cloth, or another soft material in your hands so it loses its flat shape and becomes full of folds; or for such a thing to end up that way on its own.
Diya crumpled the rejection letter into a ball and tossed it into the bin.
crumple + paper into a ball
Camila crumpled the foil around the leftover sandwich before putting it in her bag.
crumple + foil/wrap around food
The silk dress crumples easily if you fold it the wrong way in your luggage.
Eitan crumpled up the failed sketch and started a new one on a fresh sheet.
- scrunch up
informal; same image, often for paper or face
- wad up
American; squeeze into a ball
- rumple
lighter; just disturb the smooth surface
- smooth out
remove folds to make flat again
- iron
press flat with heat
文法句型
crumple + something
crumple + up
something crumples
用法筆記
Often takes 'up' with a paper object (crumple up the page). The intransitive use is mostly for fabrics that fold easily on their own (silk crumples).
常見錯誤
2. to suddenly drop down with no strength to stand, or to cause something to fold a
to suddenly drop down with no strength to stand, or to cause something to fold and lose its shape because of a strong force.
Lauren felt dizzy on the train platform and crumpled to the ground before anyone could catch her.
person crumples + to the ground (faint/collapse)
The front of the lorry crumpled under the weight of the falling rocks.
thing crumples under + force
Walid's defence crumpled in the second half, and the visiting team scored three quick goals.
The blast crumpled the side of the steel container like it was foil.
- stand firm
stay strong, not give in
- hold up
keep shape under pressure
文法句型
someone/something crumples + (to / against / under)
X crumples Y
用法筆記
Intransitive use is common: 'she crumpled to the floor', 'his resolve crumpled'. Figurative uses (a defence crumples, a plan crumples) extend the collapse image to abstract structures. Transitive use needs a strong external force as the subject (the blast, the impact, the weight).
常見錯誤
crumpled — noun
1. one of the small folds or creases left in paper, cloth, or another soft material
one of the small folds or creases left in paper, cloth, or another soft material after it has been squeezed.
Nia spotted a single crumple in the silk scarf and smoothed it out before the photo.
a crumple in + soft material
Caleb tried to iron out every crumple in the wedding tablecloth before the guests arrived.
iron out + crumple
The old map showed crumples and tear lines from years of folding and unfolding.
A few crumples remained near the corners of Renata's poster after she rolled it back out.
- smoothness
the state of having no folds
文法句型
a crumple in + noun
用法筆記
Much rarer than the verb and adjective forms; learners are more likely to encounter 'crease' or 'wrinkle' for the same idea. The noun is most natural when contrasting with 'smooth' or talking about removing the fold.