collapse

1 of 2

verb

col·​lapse kə-ˈlaps 

collapsed; collapsing

intransitive verb

1

: to fall or shrink together abruptly and completely : fall into a jumbled or flattened mass through the force of external pressure

a blood vessel that collapsed

2

: to break down completely : disintegrate

… his case had collapsed in a mass of legal wreckage …

—Erle Stanley Gardner

3

: to cave or fall in or give way

The bridge collapsed.

4

: to suddenly lose force, significance, effectiveness, or worth

fears that the currency may collapse

5

: to break down in vital energy, stamina, or self-control through exhaustion or disease

I came home from work and collapsed on the sofa.

especially : to fall helpless or unconscious

The performer collapsed on stage.

6

: to fold down into a more compact shape

a chair that collapses

a collapsing golf club that can fit into a travel bag

transitive verb

1

: to cause to collapse

buildings collapsed by an earthquake

He knelt for a long time, first watching the bay below, then collapsing the spyglass and settling his hands on his legs in a thoughtful pose.

—Heather Dunboine

2

: condense

collapse several stories into one

collapse

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a breakdown in vital energy, strength, or stamina

suffered a mental collapse

b

: a state of extreme prostration and physical depression (as from circulatory failure or great loss of body fluids)

c

: an airless state of all or part of a lung originating spontaneously or induced surgically

2

: the act or action of collapsing

… the cutting of many tent ropes, the collapse of the canvas …

—Rudyard Kipling

3

: a sudden failure : breakdown, ruin

the collapse of the government

4

: a sudden loss of force, value, or effect

… the collapse of respect for ancient law and custom …

—L. S. B. Leakey

Synonyms of collapse

Verb

• tumble
• go
• crumple
• crumble
• die
• buckle
• melt
• implode
• shatter
• give
• crash
• yield

Noun

• exhaustion
• fatigue

Examples of collapse in a Sentence

Verb

The roof collapsed under a heavy load of snow.

The chair he was sitting in collapsed.

He collapsed on stage during the performance and had to be rushed to the hospital.

She came home from work and collapsed on the sofa.

The crying child ran to his mother and collapsed in her arms.

The civilization collapsed for reasons that are still unknown.

He warned that such measures could cause the economy to collapse.

Noun

The structure is in danger of collapse.

She was on the verge of collapse.

The country has endured civil war and economic collapse.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Dozens of people were rescued Friday in Missouri amid rapidly rising floodwaters, including several campers who took shelter on the roof of a building that collapsed, authorities said. — Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 10 July 2026

Elsewhere in the area, a road collapsed and others were shut down due to flooding, the Reynolds County Sheriff’s Office said. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 10 July 2026

Noun

But analysts such as London and Malick don’t see anything coming as severe as the housing collapse that triggered the 2008 Great Recession, or even very much negative about the current situation. — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026

Friday’s national collapse of the electricity system is the fourth this year. — Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Latin collapsus, past participle of collabi, from com- + labi to fall, slide — more at sleep

First Known Use

Verb

1620, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing collapse

• collapse/fall in a heap
• colony collapse disorder

Rhymes for collapse

• bitmaps
• bootstraps
• elapse
• mishaps
• perhaps
• prolapse
• relapse
• satraps
• wiretaps
• apps
• caps
• chaps

Kids Definition

collapse

1 of 2 verb

col·​lapse kə-ˈlaps 

collapsed; collapsing

1

: to fall or shrink together abruptly

a blood vessel that collapsed

2

: to break down completely

the opponent's resistance collapsed

3

: to cave or fall in or give way

the tunnel collapsed

4

: to suddenly lose value or effectiveness

the country's currency collapsed

5

: to break down physically or mentally because of exhaustion or disease

6

: to fold together

a chair that collapses

collapsible

kə-ˈlap-sə-bəl 

adjective

collapse

2 of 2 noun

: the act or an instance of collapsing : breakdown

Medical Definition

collapse

1 of 2 verb

col·​lapse kə-ˈlaps 

collapsed; collapsing

intransitive verb

1

: to fall or shrink together abruptly and completely : fall into a jumbled or flattened mass through the force of external pressure

a blood vessel that collapsed

2

: to break down in vital energy, stamina, or self-control through exhaustion or disease

especially : to fall helpless or unconscious

transitive verb

: to cause to collapse

collapsing an infected lung

collapsibility

-ˌlap-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

collapsible

-ˈlap-sə-bəl 

adjective

collapse

2 of 2 noun

1

: a breakdown in vital energy, strength, or stamina : complete sudden enervation

the daughter's mental collapse through mounting frustration

—Leslie Rees

2

: a state of extreme prostration and physical depression resulting from circulatory failure, great loss of body fluids, or heart disease and occurring terminally in diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, and pneumonia

3

: an airless state of a lung of spontaneous origin or induced surgically see atelectasis

4

: an abnormal falling together of the walls of an organ

collapse of blood vessels