BUCKLING Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

buckling

verb

present participle of buckle

as in collapsing

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in devoting

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 buckling Ben’s view Glover’s argument to keep away from Big Tech is indicative of the reality in Washington that the US political system is buckling in the face of ascendant corporate and tech power. — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Errol Flynn has never been better than in this buckling charmer. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026 Besides a seat belt’s safety factor, buckling in can also prevent you from a hefty fine from law enforcement. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 July 2026 As the front end accelerates, the downstream workflows responsible for adapting and validating that content are buckling under the pressure. — Benjamin Faes, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 The discovery of the buckling columns launched a major effort to shore up — or reinforce — the building’s weakest points, with crews using emergency jacks and installing new steel supports. — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 11 July 2026 Shortly after, the Fire Department responded to a report from construction workers that some of the steel support columns on the twenty-first floor were buckling. — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 11 July 2026 The off-limits area was later scaled back after work crews braced the buckling beams. — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 9 July 2026 Layla Taylor posted a GIF of someone buckling their seatbelt. — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for buckling

Verb

The family’s attorney says Mayich struggled through a military-style practice with little rest or water, showing clear distress before collapsing.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
In a phone interview with The Associated Press, Rodríguez Verona said survivors were disoriented and dehydrated, with many collapsing or vomiting upon reaching land.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of collapsing

Verb

Her reporting reveals stunning details about the high-level government officials who are devoting their time and influence to enable what is, essentially, a portfolio of home-renovation and vanity projects.

— David Remnick, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
With financial support from all the major record labels, AEN began devoting major blocks of program time to music videos and related content with interactive links enabling consumer purchase.

— Tom Tapp, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of devoting

Verb

Euphoric players cavorting in disbelief, long-suffering fans crumpling to their knees in tears, commentators’ voices cracking at the drama of it all.

— Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Moses Moody scored 23 points before crumpling to the floor with an apparently serious left knee injury late in overtime as the Golden State Warriors beat Dallas 137-131 on Monday night, extending the Mavericks' home losing streak to 12 games, their longest in 32 years.

— CBS News, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026

Definition of crumpling

Verb

The people in the crosshairs The most drastic shifts impact those who plan to stay in Japan for the longest – those applying for permanent residency, a status that grants rights to work, unlimited entries, and infinite stay.

— Christine Miyawaki, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
In a normal Transformer, tokens—the units of information that large language models process—are passed from lower layers of a model’s neural network to higher layers sequentially, with each layer applying mathematical operations in turn.

— Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of applying

Verb

In standard Series 62 form, the engine produced around 210 hp, giving the big Cadillac plenty of muscle for its era.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2026
Seattle can keep itself in games, much like this one, by stone-walling opponents and giving its offense a chance to take advantage of short fields and turnovers.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026