crumble upon

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "crumble upon" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used to describe a physical or metaphorical crumbling or breaking apart upon something else. For example: "The old house began to crumble upon itself as the weight of the heavy snow caused the roof to collapse." "As the company's financial troubles continued, their reputation began to crumble upon itself, resulting in a loss of customers." "Her initial excitement crumbled upon hearing the news of her failed audition."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Their ostensible grasps at scientific credibility crumble upon even a cursory inspection, and their odious arguments, bereft of facts, should not be allowed set the tone of the conversation.

The Guardian

He shows us how different empires were boosted by periods of "axial thought" to surge up the development ladder, only to crumble upon hitting a "hard ceiling," usually inflicted by what he calls the Five Horsemen of the Apocalypse: climate change, migration, famine, epidemic and state failure.

The New York Times - Books

Every executive knows that a strategy that looks great on paper can crumble upon execution.

Forbes

Ox and horse bones were boiled repeatedly to make soup, and became so brittle they would crumble upon chewing.

Wikipedia

They will be replaced nine months into the deployment when it is proven that they crumble upon first impact.

Huffington Post

As the delusional pillars of consumer credit that helped an over-crowded middle class crumble upon themselves, what will be left is a stark reality that America is not the land of opportunity that it has been portrayed as through modern media.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

But this theory crumbles upon closer inspection.

The New Yorker

The stock price crumbled upon opening, with shares losing a third of their value, and the offering was canceled several days later.

The New York Times

The last-place trophy goes to Aleksei Silaev, a Russian, who jumped a meter farther than the Flying Elephant but lost on style points when he crumbled upon impact.

The New York Times - Sports

The reefs, built by hundreds of generations of oysters growing and dying and crumbling upon one another's backs, are at least 6,000 years old, predating the Great Pyramids.

The New York Times

Seeing through that noise has been one of the major reasons for Marvel's cinematic success: the MCU has grown steadily bigger and stronger while the attempts of others have crumbled upon inception (looking at you, The Dark Tower).

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "crumble upon", ensure the sentence clearly indicates both the entity that is crumbling and the specific trigger or event causing the disintegration. This clarifies the cause-and-effect relationship.

Common error

Avoid using "crumble upon" for sudden, instantaneous failures. The phrase implies a gradual decline or disintegration triggered by an external factor, not an immediate collapse.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "crumble upon" functions primarily as a verb phrase, indicating a process of gradual disintegration or failure triggered by a specific cause or event. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Wiki

21%

Science

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "crumble upon" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a gradual decline or disintegration caused by a specific event or condition. Ludwig's analysis shows it's most frequently found in News & Media and Wiki sources, indicating a neutral register. While less common than other similar phrases, using "crumble upon" correctly can add precision to your writing when emphasizing the cause-and-effect relationship of a decline. Remember to use it for gradual failures, not sudden collapses, to avoid misuse.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

collapse under

Focuses more on the weight or pressure causing the failure, rather than the gradual disintegration.

fall apart due to

Emphasizes the disintegration process as a result of a specific cause.

disintegrate because of

Highlights a more complete breakdown or vanishing due to an underlying factor.

succumb to

Suggests a yielding or surrender to a force leading to failure.

break down from

Implies a functional failure stemming from a particular influence.

fail because of

A more general term indicating a lack of success due to a reason.

be ruined by

Indicates complete destruction or devastation caused by something.

be destroyed by

Similar to 'be ruined by' but with a stronger emphasis on physical obliteration.

deteriorate with

Focuses on the decaying process happening in conjunction with something else.

decline under

Implies a gradual loss of quality or importance under a certain condition.

FAQs

How can I use "crumble upon" in a sentence?

Use "crumble upon" to describe a gradual decline or failure triggered by a specific event. For example, "Their arguments "crumble upon" closer inspection".

What are some alternatives to "crumble upon"?

Alternatives include "collapse under", "fall apart due to", or "disintegrate because of", each with slightly different nuances.

Is it correct to say "crumbled upon"?

Yes, "crumbled upon" is the past tense form of "crumble upon" and is grammatically correct when describing something that has already disintegrated due to a specific cause.

What is the difference between "crumble upon" and "crumble under"?

"Crumble upon" implies a more gradual disintegration due to something, while "crumble under" suggests a failure caused by excessive weight or pressure.