1
as in collapses
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure
the flimsy bridge buckled under the weight of the caravan of trucks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devotes
to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention
buckled himself down and finished the assignment in record time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of buckles
Adam Erace,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
The word nearly buckles my knees.
—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
To his yacht-aspiring wrist, the buyer buckles a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II, a watch designed to commemorate Sir Edmund Hillary’s 1953 summit of Everest.
—
Adam Erace,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
The word nearly buckles my knees.
—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buckles
Verb
-
Corruption deepened, the economy entered one of the worst collapses in modern history, and a humanitarian crisis pushed close to a third of the population out of the country.
-
By contrast, Roberts’s opinion in Slaughter collapses this distinction.
Verb
-
Despite the elegiac tone, Jill also devotes much of the book to the social side of being first lady.
-
The malware devotes considerable attention to CI/CD (continuous integration/continuous delivery) systems, which allow for faster and more reliable software releases by automating the building, testing, and deploying of code changes.
Noun
-
Leaders should identify where bottlenecks crept back in, restore psychological safety around small failures, and rebuild the feedback loops that make frequent, low-risk deployment feel sustainable.
-
Rounding out the trio is a take on the Air Max 95 Neon with orange substitutions on its Big Bubble heel unit and eyestay loops and a green and orange gradient on the outsole’s shank.
Verb
-
At the same time, Dangerous Woman, one of Grande's earliest releases, tumbles down the roster.
-
At only 20 feet high, Abrams Falls’ stature isn’t its most impressive quality; however, the sheer force of water that tumbles down it is an experience to enjoy with several senses—certainly sight, but also sound and feel too.
Verb
-
West Virginia’s ban also applies at every level of competition, but only from middle school through college.
-
The same process applies for minors if all living parents agree to the name change.
Noun
-
This midcentury-modern love seat has a small footprint for cramped spaces, and the top folds down to create a cushy, futon-like surface for sleeping.
-
There’s these tiny muscles and tiny folds.
Verb
-
As if the arc of history just naturally bends towards justice without aggrieved people putting pressure on it.
-
The star crossing in front of the other one brightens and bends the latter object’s light, thereby acting like a giant magnifying glass.
Noun
-
Her hair is almost exactly the same length throughout, but the top is slightly longer to accentuate her coils.
-
Replacing air filters regularly, cleaning outdoor condenser coils and scheduling annual professional tune-ups can help an air conditioner maintain peak efficiency.
Cite this Entry
“Buckles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buckles. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
