buckle 1 of 2

verb

Definition of bucklenext
1
as in to collapse
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure the flimsy bridge buckled under the weight of the caravan of trucks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to devote
to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention buckled himself down and finished the assignment in record time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

buckle

2 of 2

noun

as in loop

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of buckle
Verb
Ben’s view Glover’s argument to keep away from Big Tech is indicative of the reality in Washington that the US political system is buckling in the face of ascendant corporate and tech power. — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Network Rail has previously cautioned that high temperatures can cause rail track to expand and possibly buckle. — Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
Hart kept her accessories simple with a dainty gold pendant necklace and a bright blue leather bracelet featuring a silver hardware buckle. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 24 Aug. 2026 The Xchkrm Anti-theft Phone Wrist Strap slips around your wrist like a bracelet and features an adjustable buckle to secure your phone against potential drops or theft. — Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for buckle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buckle
  1. collapse
  2. devote
  3. loop
  4. go
  5. apply
  6. fold
  7. give
  8. spiral
Verb
  • That pair, combined with the wider structure and personnel around them, ensure Leeds do not collapse when home sides like Brighton, predictably, lay it on thick.
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Researchers believe volcanic activity triggered an underwater landslide and caused a large chunk of Anak Krakatau’s southwest slope to collapse and displace a large volume of water.
    — Tatan Syuflana, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • Her reporting reveals stunning details about the high-level government officials who are devoting their time and influence to enable what is, essentially, a portfolio of home-renovation and vanity projects.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Gloria Steinem, a trailblazing journalist and activist who devoted her life to fighting for women's rights, died on Wednesday.
    — Juliana Kim, NPR, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of devote
Noun
  • There's also a small flip up carry loop, which is a nice feature for a bottle with a comparably wide diameter.
    — Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Reportedly, the artificial intelligence serves as both the observational eyes and the active navigator throughout the procedure by establishing a continuous feedback loop between real-time ultrasound image processing and physical surgical control.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of loop
Verb
  • Slavia Prague The Czech champions briefly threatened an upset against Barcelona in the league phase last season, going ahead in sub-zero temperatures in Prague before the Catalan side turned up the heat to win 4-2.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Okamoto went 4 for 5 with a double and broke a 3-all tie in the seventh with an RBI single.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of go
Verb
  • Fall Cool-season grasses benefit most from fertilizer applied in the fall.
    — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Contrary to popular belief, applying ice or using a tourniquet can worsen the effects of a venomous snakebite by slowing blood flow.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of apply
Noun
  • The tight cropping in the monochrome nudes isolates slopes, folds, shadowed recesses and curved planes that hover between landscape and abstraction.
    — Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • One rises, then another, then seemingly all of them—great striped bulbs of crimson, lemon yellow, and turquoise drifting between the fairy chimneys as the first sunlight catches the dusty pink folds of the landscape.
    — Scott Campbell, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of fold
Verb
  • Venice Film Festival has also given us plenty of major beauty moments—and Mary Beth Barone really brought it for her first turn on the lido.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Lindsay Clancy jury says it's still deadlocked, judge gives 'dynamite instruction' Lindsay Clancy jury can't agree.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of give
Noun
  • Both sides are depending on the fans to absorb the endless salary spiral that ownership passes on to those in the seats.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Still, with average hourly earnings showing no signs of a wage-price spiral, the picture is not clear-cut.
    — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of spiral

Browse Nearby Words

bucking up
buckle
buckled
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Cite this Entry

“Buckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buckle. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on buckle

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about buckle

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