1
as in to tumble
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure
the motel balcony collapsed under the weight of so many people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to fail
to be unsuccessful
the legal case collapsed in the face of the opposition's evidence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to compress
to reduce in size or volume by or as if by pressing parts or members together
the novel collapses events from four separate trips into one long odyssey
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1
as in exhaustion
a complete depletion of energy or strength
suffered a mental collapse under the strain of studying for his bar exam
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2
as in defeat
a falling short of one's goals
the complete collapse of the invasion set off a round of finger-pointing and recrimination
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of collapse
Megan McCluskey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Since last summer’s parliamentary election failed to deliver a majority to any one party or bloc, two governments have collapsed amid dispute over the coming year’s budget — reigniting concerns the country is on an unsustainable fiscal track.
—Jenni Reid, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Port officials are still trying to determine the cause of the collapse.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Verb
After McVries chooses to sit down and accept his death and Stebbins (played in the movie by Garrett Wareing) collapses from exhaustion, Garraty is the only remaining walker.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Since last summer’s parliamentary election failed to deliver a majority to any one party or bloc, two governments have collapsed amid dispute over the coming year’s budget — reigniting concerns the country is on an unsustainable fiscal track.
—Jenni Reid, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
Advertisement Advertisement Lecornu’s appointment follows the collapse of France’s government after a vote of no confidence on Monday that ousted 74-year-old Francois Bayrou from the post.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Port officials are still trying to determine the cause of the collapse.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapse
Verb
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Hours after the initial shipping containers fell into the ocean, more containers tumbled onto the port side.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Sep. 2025
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Back in 2022, surging prices forced the Federal Reserve into aggressive rate-hiking mode, sending the S&P 500 tumbling 25%.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Likely to have less impact on your buying decision (but still reside in the back of your mind) is that if one of the triple-panel fans fails, the entire triple-fan unit needs replacing, not just one fan.—
Thomas Soderstrom,
PC Magazine,
13 Sep. 2025
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The new glue has impressive properties, including its ability to withstand significant forces before failing.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Both Michigan Central and Emergent Campus models compress this learning curve by integrating practical application from day one.—
Alison Griffin,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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According to Spotify, Bluetooth currently doesn’t provide enough bandwidth to transmit lossless audio, so the signal has to be compressed before being sent.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The pain goes deeper than exhaustion.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Men tumble into each other, frantically fighting to get back up, while others faint from exhaustion.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Biden and, by extension, Harris will be remembered even and perhaps especially by Democrats as symbolizing disappointment and defeat.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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Austin Corbett used stronger terms to describe the mood following the 26-10 defeat.—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Lucky went 1,500 days in the shelter without being adopted, then everything changed.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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Before all that happened, though, there was the eight-course dinner, which went totally fine as predicted.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Between 1958 and 1978, 30 of the low-budget comedies were churned out (a revival in 1992 flopped), attracting millions of viewers worldwide.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
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The strategy created momentum, but Llama 4 flopped when it was released in early April 2025—at which point, Pineau had already submitted her resignation.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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My sister looked up at me and ever so gently, with barely perceptible pressure, squeezed my hand.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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If real estate values turn soft in a region, the decline could squeeze a crucial revenue stream for cities, counties, regional agencies and school districts.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Collapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapse. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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