collide

verb

col·​lide kə-ˈlīd 

collided; colliding

intransitive verb

1

: to come together with solid or direct impact

The car collided with a tree.

Two helicopters collided.

2

: clash

colliding cultures

Science and religion collided in the court.

Synonyms of collide

• clash
• conflict

Examples of collide in a Sentence

Two football players collided on the field.

the candidate had a reputation as a maverick whose positions often collided with the party platform

Recent Examples on the Web

The 31-year-old was arrested in May after a Lamborghini collided with barriers on the M3 in Hampshire and was bailed while the police continued to investigate. — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

During court on Eyssallenne's preliminary hearing on Tuesday, prosecutors shared jarring dash camera video of the crash, which shows the boy speeding through an intersection before colliding with a car and getting thrown into the air. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026

Livestream footage shows the blue pickup truck surrounded by ICE vehicles after colliding with immigration agents and smashing into a concrete barrier on the side of I-55 next to Exit 290. — Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

The other vehicle in the crash, a white Chevrolet, was lying on its side off the road and might have collided with a fence. — Iris Kwok aug. 24, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin collidere, from com- + laedere to injure by striking

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for collide

• abide
• allied
• applied
• aside
• astride
• azide
• backside
• bankside
• bastide
• bayside
• bedside
• belied

Kids Definition

collide

verb

col·​lide kə-ˈlīd 

collided; colliding

1

: to come together with solid impact

the football players collided

2

: clash entry 1 sense 2a

their different outlooks collided