crumple

/ˈkrʌmpl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkrʌmpl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkrəm-pəl/ (ame, mw)

crumple — 動詞

  • crumplepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • crumpleshe / she / it
  • crumpledpast simple
  • crumpling-ing form

1. to press or squeeze soft materials like paper, cloth, or fabric so that their fl

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

揉皺

將紙張、布料等壓出皺褶

to press or squeeze soft materials like paper, cloth, or fabric so that their flat surfaces become uneven and covered with many small irregular folds that do not disappear on their own.

例句

Mei-Lin crumpled the letter in frustration and threw it into the kitchen bin.

Mei-Lin 生氣地把信揉皺，扔進了廚房垃圾桶。

crumple + paper + in frustration (emotional trigger)

The silk blouse crumpled badly after being packed in the suitcase for three days.

這件絲質上衣在手提箱裡塞了三天，變得皺巴巴的。

intransitive: material crumples on its own

同義詞
  • wrinkle

    less forceful; suggests smaller, finer folds rather than deliberate crushing

  • rumple

    more common for fabric or hair; less common in everyday speech than 'crumple'

  • crush

    stronger force; can apply to hard or thick objects that crumple cannot

反義詞
  • smooth

    to make flat and even, removing folds

  • iron

    to remove folds from fabric using heat and pressure

文法句型

crumple + object (paper, cloth, fabric)

crumple + up + object

用法筆記

Often used with the particle 'up' when the action is deliberate and complete (e.g. 'crumple up the old newspaper'). The past participle 'crumpled' is also common as an adjective before nouns ('a crumpled shirt').

常見錯誤

❌You must say crumple up to show complete destruction.
✅I crumpled the paper and threw it away.
💡'Crumple' without 'up' is perfectly standard; 'up' adds emphasis but is never required.
❌She crumpled the sofa cushion.
✅She crushed the sofa cushion.
💡'Crumple' implies permanent folds in thin material; for soft, thick objects 'crush' or 'squash' is more natural.

2. when metal, a vehicle, or another hard object crumples, it is squeezed with such

2.動詞不及物B2
釋義

壓皺；撞皺

金屬或車輛受撞擊而變形

when metal, a vehicle, or another hard object crumples, it is squeezed with such force that its surface bends unevenly and the original shape is lost, typically during an accident or collision.

例句

The taxi's front crumpled like paper when it hit the concrete wall on the highway.

那輛計程車的車頭撞上高速公路的水泥牆，像紙一樣皺成一團。

In the pile-up, the bicycle frame crumpled under the delivery truck's weight.

連環車禍中，腳踏車車架被送貨卡車壓皺變形。

crumple + under (the weight of something)

同義詞
  • buckle

    suggests bending at a specific point or line rather than general uneven folding

  • collapse

    implies complete loss of structure rather than surface deformation

文法句型

metal/vehicle crumples + on/under/against + something

用法筆記

This sense is almost always used of accidents — car crashes, industrial mishaps, or heavy objects falling. Unlike sense 1, it rarely takes 'up' as a particle.

常見錯誤

❌The car crumpled the wall.
✅The car's front crumpled against the wall.
💡In this sense, 'crumple' is intransitive; the vehicle does not act on something else, it changes shape itself.

3. when a person's face crumples, the features tighten and become covered with deep

3.動詞不及物B2
釋義

皺起；扭曲

臉因悲傷或失望而皺起

when a person's face crumples, the features tighten and become covered with deep lines, usually because the person is about to cry or is overwhelmed by sadness, disappointment, or grief.

例句

When the judge read the verdict, the man's face crumpled and tears filled his eyes.

法官宣讀判決時，老人的臉皺了起來，眼眶充滿淚水。

Fatima's face crumpled the moment she heard her grandmother's voice on the phone from Tehran.

Fatima 在電話裡聽到祖母從德黑蘭打來的聲音時，她的臉立刻皺了起來。

face crumples + upon hearing emotional news

同義詞
  • contract

    more clinical and less emotional; describes the muscular action without the sadness

  • wrinkle

    can be neutral (age) or positive (smiling); lacks the strong sadness of 'crumple'

文法句型

someone's face crumples

用法筆記

Only used with the noun 'face' as the subject. Cannot be used for other body parts ('*his mouth crumpled'). Describes an involuntary reaction, not a deliberate expression.

常見錯誤

❌Her mouth crumpled in sadness.
✅Her face crumpled in sadness.
💡Only 'face' is natural as the subject of this verb sense.

4. when a person crumples, their legs suddenly lose strength and they drop heavily

4.動詞不及物B2
釋義

癱倒；倒下

因受傷或疲憊而突然倒地

when a person crumples, their legs suddenly lose strength and they drop heavily to the floor or ground, often because of injury, shock, exhaustion, or a medical condition.

例句

Amara crumpled to the ground just metres before the finish line and the crowd gasped.

Amara 在距離終點線只剩五十公尺的地方癱倒在地，全場觀眾倒抽了一口氣。

crumple + to the ground (common pattern)

When Dmitri received the news of his brother's accident, he crumpled onto the nearest chair.

Dmitri 聽到哥哥出事的消息後，癱倒在最近的椅子上。

同義詞
  • collapse

    broader; can be sudden or gradual, from a wide range of causes

  • sink

    slower and more controlled; often implies giving up rather than losing physical control

文法句型

person crumples + to/onto/on + surface

用法筆記

The verb is typically followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the landing surface ('to the floor', 'onto the chair', 'on the grass'). The fall is always uncontrolled — never used for intentional sitting or lying down.

常見錯誤

❌He crumpled on the sofa to watch TV.
✅He collapsed on the sofa to watch TV.
💡'Crumple' implies sudden loss of bodily control, not intentional resting.

5. when a building, wall, or other structure crumples, it breaks apart and falls do

5.動詞及物 / 不及物C1
釋義

崩塌；垮塌

建築物或結構體倒塌

when a building, wall, or other structure crumples, it breaks apart and falls down, usually because it can no longer support its own weight or because of an external force such as an explosion or an earthquake.

例句

The old warehouse crumpled under heavy snow that had fallen for three days.

那間舊倉庫被連續三天的大雪壓垮，轟然崩塌。

crumple + under (the weight of something)

The gas leak blast crumpled the brick wall and covered the street in dust.

瓦斯外洩引發的爆炸把磚牆炸垮，整條街塵土飛揚。

transitive: force crumples structure

同義詞
  • collapse

    the neutral, everyday word; 'crumple' is more dramatic and visual

  • give way

    suggests gradual weakening rather than sudden folding

  • cave in

    specifically of a roof or ceiling falling inward

反義詞
  • stand

    remain upright and intact

  • withstand

    resist pressure without falling

文法句型

building/structure crumples

explosion/force crumples + building/structure

用法筆記

More formal and less common than 'collapse' for buildings. Often carries a vivid, almost literary sense of the structure folding in on itself rather than simply falling. The transitive use ('the blast crumpled the wall') is particularly rare and mostly found in news reporting.

6. when a system, institution, plan, or relationship crumples, it gradually loses i

6.動詞不及物C1
釋義

崩潰；瓦解

系統或計劃逐漸失效

when a system, institution, plan, or relationship crumples, it gradually loses its strength or effectiveness until it can no longer function properly, often because of pressure from outside or internal weakness.

例句

The company's distribution network crumpled under rising fuel costs and staff shortages.

這家公司的經銷網路在燃料成本飆升和人力短缺下逐漸瓦解。

crumple + under + pressure (abstract pressure)

After three years of severe drought, the region's farming economy began to crumple.

連續三年嚴重乾旱之後，這個地區的農業經濟開始崩潰。

同義詞
  • collapse

    more neutral and widely used for systems and organisations

  • fail

    straightforward and common; lacks the visual metaphor of 'crumple'

反義詞

文法句型

system/plan/organization crumples + under/because of/from + pressure

用法筆記

Highly metaphorical — borrows the physical image of collapsing material and applies it to abstract entities. Prefer 'collapse' or 'fail' in neutral registers; 'crumple' adds a more vivid, literary flavour.

常見錯誤

❌The business crumpled because of bad management.
✅The business collapsed because of bad management.
💡For business failure, 'collapse' is the standard, neutral word; 'crumple' sounds odd in business contexts.

crumple — 名詞