crumblings: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2literary, descriptive, slightly archaic
Quick answer
What does “crumblings” mean?
Small fragments or particles resulting from something breaking or crumbling apart.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Small fragments or particles resulting from something breaking or crumbling apart.
The small, often powdery pieces that fall off when a dry, brittle material disintegrates. Can be used figuratively to refer to the last remaining parts or evidence of something that is deteriorating or disappearing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is similar, but slightly more likely to be found in British descriptive or historical prose. American English might favour 'crumbs', 'debris', or 'rubble' in similar contexts.
Connotations
Both varieties carry a poetic or antiquated tone. It evokes a sense of age, neglect, or gentle decay.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both, but marginally higher in UK English.
Grammar
How to Use “crumblings” in a Sentence
The [noun] fell into crumblings.He brushed the crumblings from the [surface].Only the crumblings of the old [structure] remained.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “crumblings” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The sandstone cliffs are constantly crumbling into the sea.
- The old manuscript crumbled at the edges.
American English
- The dry soil crumbled in my hand.
- Their alliance is beginning to crumble under pressure.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial form for 'crumblings'.]
American English
- [No standard adverbial form for 'crumblings'.]
adjective
British English
- They explored the crumbling ruins of the abbey.
- We need to repair the crumbling plaster.
American English
- The city invested in fixing its crumbling infrastructure.
- He held onto his crumbling reputation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Unlikely, except perhaps metaphorically in a report: 'the financial empire was reduced to mere crumblings.'
Academic
Possible in archaeology, history, or geology texts describing decayed materials.
Everyday
Rare. Might be used descriptively while cleaning or gardening.
Technical
Used in fields like masonry, conservation, or soil science to describe specific types of particulate decay matter.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “crumblings”
- Using it as a singular noun ('a crumblings'). It is plural. Confusing it with the gerund 'crumbling' (the process).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency word, most often found in literary, historical, or technical descriptive writing. More common alternatives are 'fragments', 'debris', or 'rubble'.
It's unusual. While technically possible, 'crumbs' is the standard word for small pieces of bread, cake, etc. 'Crumblings' suggests a drier, more brittle, often inorganic material like stone, plaster, or old mortar.
'Crumbling' is usually a verb (the wall is crumbling) or a singular noun for the process (the crumbling of the wall). 'Crumblings' is a plural noun specifically for the fragments produced by that process.
No. The singular noun 'crumbling' refers to the process, not a single fragment. You would refer to 'a crumb', 'a fragment', or 'a piece' of the crumbling material.
Small fragments or particles resulting from something breaking or crumbling apart.
Crumblings is usually literary, descriptive, slightly archaic in register.
Crumblings: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkrʌm.blɪŋz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkrʌm.blɪŋz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[none directly for the plural noun]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an old, dry biscuit (or 'cookie' in US English) that CRUMBLES. The small bits that fall off are the CRUMBLINGS.
Conceptual Metaphor
DECAY IS CRUMBLING; THE PAST IS DUST/FRAGMENTS.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'crumblings' LEAST likely to be used?