on a collision course

idiom

: moving so as to crash into each other if one or the other does not change direction
The two airplanes were on a collision course.
often + with
The comet was on a collision course with the planet.
often used figuratively
The government's policies are putting us on a collision course with economic disaster.

Examples of on a collision course in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The Kremlin will continue to embrace Chinese technology (including tools of digital repression), maintain its reliance on China’s markets and financial system, and deepen its security ties with Beijing, even if that puts it on a collision course with Washington. Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2025 The move puts Newsom on a collision course with the president, just months after the governor looked to forge a better relationship with Trump when asking for federal assistance in light of the deadly Los Angeles fires. Filip Timotija, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2025 The Kennedy Center, a system marked by the interplay of many moving pieces, is on a collision course with a man who yearns to absorb everything into himself. Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2025 An asteroid that was until recently thought to be on a collision course with Earth in 2032 has been measured by the James Webb Space Telescope. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for on a collision course

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“On a collision course.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20a%20collision%20course. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!