implosion

noun

im·​plo·​sion im-ˈplō-zhən 

1

: the action of imploding

2

: the act or action of bringing to or as if to a center

also : integration

This implosion of cultures makes realistic for the first time the age-old vision of a world culture …

—Kenneth Keniston

3

: the inrush of air in forming a suction stop

implosive

im-ˈplō-siv 

-ziv

adjective or noun

Examples of implosion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The notion that Iran would sit back as its economy moved ever closer to implosion was not grounded in reality. — Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026

The Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers know the agony of flying high with MVP quarterbacks, only to suffer special teams implosions in the biggest games, sabotaging legacies in the process. — Mike Sando, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

The Soviet Union was an archetypal fragile superpower, its red star burning bright before its dramatic final implosion. — Ben Bland, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2026

The recent implosion of the relationship between the professional golf world and the YouTube creators Good Good Golf underscores the potential pitfalls of leaning too heavily on influencers to grow a sport. — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

in- entry 2 + -plosion (as in explosion)

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for implosion

• corrosion
• erosion
• explosion

Kids Definition

implosion

noun

im·​plo·​sion im-ˈplō-zhən 

: the action of imploding

implosive

-ˈplō-siv 

-ziv

adjective