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crumple up

B1 neutral separable both
In simple words

To crush something soft like paper into a messy ball shape, or to fall down suddenly.

Literal meaning: To crumple (fold and crush) completely (up) into a wrinkled shape.

Meanings

1 B1 neutral

To crush paper, fabric, or another flexible material into an irregular, wrinkled mass.

"He crumpled up the rejection letter and threw it in the bin."

Grammar: separable
2 B2 idiomatic neutral

Of a person: to suddenly collapse or fall, especially due to emotion, injury, or exhaustion.

"When she heard the news, she crumpled up and started to cry."

Grammar: inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral

Of a face or expression: to distort suddenly, usually with distress or crying.

"His face crumpled up when he realized he had lost everything."

Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes

Very common with paper and other flexible materials. The figurative use — a person crumpling up (collapsing) with emotion or injury — is also frequent in literature and everyday speech.

Commonly used with

paper letter note fabric face body

Forms

Base
crumple up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
crumples up
he/she/it
Past simple
crumpled up
yesterday
Past participle
crumpled up
have + pp
-ing form
crumpling up
continuous

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Synonyms

scrunch up screw up crush squash wad up crinkle

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