collision

noun

col·​li·​sion kə-ˈli-zhən 

1

: an act or instance of colliding : clash

2

: an encounter between particles (such as atoms or molecules) resulting in exchange or transformation of energy

collisional

kə-ˈlizh-nəl 

-ˈli-zhə-nᵊl

adjective

collisionally adverb

Synonyms

• crash
• shock
• impact
• jolt
• thump
• slam
• concussion
• bump

Choose the Right Synonym for collision

impact, collision, shock, concussion mean a forceful, even violent contact between two or more things.

impact may be used to imply contact between two things, at least one of which is impelled toward the other.

the glass shattered on impact with the floor

collision implies the coming together of two or more things with such force that both or all are damaged or their progress is severely impeded.

the collision damaged the vehicle

shock often denotes the effect produced by a collision and carries the suggestion of something that strikes or hits with force.

the shock of falling rocks

concussion when not in technical use, often suggests the shattering, disrupting, or weakening effects of a collision, explosion, or blow.

bystanders felt the concussion of the blast

Examples of collision in a Sentence

The car was destroyed in the collision.

the collision of two opposing philosophies regarding the rearing of children

Recent Examples on the Web

Honda's driver support technologies are included, such as adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance tech, sign recognition, lane-keeping assist, auto high beam and traffic jam assist. —New Atlas, 15 Sep. 2025

The rule made kickoffs more like scrimmage plays by placing the coverage players and blockers close together to eliminate the high-speed collisions that had contributed to so many injuries on the play. —Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025

Stone, reportedly properly secured by her seatbelt, allegedly survived this initial collision without any serious injuries, along with the other passengers. —John Perlstein, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

With two teams running at each other at top speed, collisions between players were often devastating. —Ben Church, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin collision-, collisio, from collidere

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing collision

• anti-collision
• collision course
• head-on collision
• inelastic collision
• on a collision course

Rhymes for collision

• abscission
• decision
• derision
• division
• elision
• envision
• excision
• incision
• misprision
• precision
• prevision
• provision

Kids Definition

collision

noun

col·​li·​sion kə-ˈlizh-ən 

: an act or instance of colliding