How to pronounce crumble
Say it like KRUHM-bul. Crumble has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KRUHM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce crumble. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KRUHM
- bul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Crumble pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KRUHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- bulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of crumble
American and British speakers say crumble in essentially the same way: /ˈkrʌmbəl/ in the US and /ˈkrʌmbəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: KRUHM-bul.
What does crumble mean?
- To fall apart; to disintegrate.“The bread roll crumbled when I tried to slice it; it was too stale.”
- To break into crumbs.“We crumbled some bread into the water.”
- To mix (ingredients such as flour and butter) in such a way as to form crumbs.“Using your fingers, crumble the ingredients with the fingertips, lifting in an upward motion, until the mixture is sandy and resembles large breadcrumbs.”
- A dessert of British origin containing stewed fruit topped with a crumbly mixture of fat, flour, and sugar.“blackberry and apple crumble”
Where does crumble come from?
From earlier crymble, crimble, from Middle English *crymblen, kremelen, from Old English *crymlan (“to crumble”), from *crymel (“a small crumb; crumble”), diminutive of Old English cruma (“crumb”), equivalent to crumb + -le (diminutive suffix).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with crumble
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of crumble.
Questions about saying crumble
How do you pronounce crumble?
Say KRUHM-bul. The American pronunciation is /ˈkrʌmbəl/. In British English it is /ˈkrʌmbəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in crumble?
Crumble has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KRUHM). Broken into parts: KRUHM · bul.
Do Americans and Brits say crumble the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈkrʌmbəl/ and the British form is /ˈkrʌmbəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.