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 implosion in Washington comes only days after an overheated chemical tank at an aerospace facility in Orange County, California, forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate. —Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

The cause of the implosion remained unclear. —ABC News, 27 May 2026

Read All About It At least one person was killed and nine people were missing after an implosion at a manufacturing plant in Washington state. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 27 May 2026

The implosion of a chemical tank at a pulp and paper mill in southwestern Washington state on Tuesday killed an undisclosed number of people and injured at least 10, while others remained missing, authorities said. —Claire Rush, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 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