implode

verb

im·​plode im-ˈplōd 

imploded; imploding

intransitive verb

1

a

: to burst inward

a blow causing a vacuum tube to implode

b

: to undergo violent compression

massive stars which implode

2

: to collapse inward as if from external pressure

also : to become greatly reduced as if from collapsing

3

: to break down or fall apart from within : self-destruct

… the firm … imploded from greed and factionalism.

—Jan Hoffman

transitive verb

: to cause to implode

Synonyms of implode

• collapse

Examples of implode in a Sentence

a controlled demolition during which the entire building imploded in a matter of seconds

Recent Examples on the Web

New York — In the summer of 2008, weeks before the investment bank Lehman Brothers imploded, oil prices skyrocketed to nearly $150 a barrel. —Matt Egan, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026

Push this ideology a step further and the entire economy implodes. —Andrew Behar, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026

As the old saying goes, when one bunker implodes due to a nuclear meltdown, a second bunker housing an AI quantum computer opens. —Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026

As history has proved, titans of industry often share a regrettable tendency to make a lot of money from leveraging enthusiasm and then leaving others to clean up the mess when the markets implode. —Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

in- entry 2 + -plode (as in explode)

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Rhymes for implode

• abode
• anode
• barcode
• bestowed
• boatload
• borrowed
• carload
• caseload
• cathode
• commode
• corrode
• crossroad

Kids Definition

implode

verb

im·​plode im-ˈplōd 

imploded; imploding

: to burst inward