1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of buckling
Retí’s is the standout performance, cogently mapping a mother’s tenacity buckling under a mounting feeling of helplessness at watching her child disappear into a mystery.
—
Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Outcry over the funding cuts prompted Republican lawmakers to create $50 billion in new rural health grants, but critics say that funding is intended for innovative health care delivery solutions — not propping up hospitals buckling under current pressures.
—ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Its walls of red brick had grown thicker after years of gunked ink, the slats of its wooden floors were wildly uneven beneath the buckling weight of antiquated iron machines.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Cal State simply wore down the Lumberjacks, beating their California Collegiate Athletic Association rivals in the second half, sending players in waves with Humboldt finally buckling under the pressure.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2026
Their legs are buckling under the weight of point guard Rodney Rice’s injury and subsequent absence.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 27 Feb. 2026
Over the past year, spending has been uneven by income bracket, with the poorest Americans buckling under the weight of rising debt, a slowing labor market and cumulative inflation over the past several years.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
Carr suspects drought has something to do with it, a sign that the natural world is buckling under skyrocketing temperatures and reticent rains.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Our knees were buckling, and mud streaked our legs.
—Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Outcry over the funding cuts prompted Republican lawmakers to create $50 billion in new rural health grants, but critics say that funding is intended for innovative health care delivery solutions — not propping up hospitals buckling under current pressures.
—ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Its walls of red brick had grown thicker after years of gunked ink, the slats of its wooden floors were wildly uneven beneath the buckling weight of antiquated iron machines.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Cal State simply wore down the Lumberjacks, beating their California Collegiate Athletic Association rivals in the second half, sending players in waves with Humboldt finally buckling under the pressure.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2026
Their legs are buckling under the weight of point guard Rodney Rice’s injury and subsequent absence.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 27 Feb. 2026
Over the past year, spending has been uneven by income bracket, with the poorest Americans buckling under the weight of rising debt, a slowing labor market and cumulative inflation over the past several years.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
Carr suspects drought has something to do with it, a sign that the natural world is buckling under skyrocketing temperatures and reticent rains.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Our knees were buckling, and mud streaked our legs.
—Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buckling
Verb
-
In September, federal investigators with the National Institute of Standards and Technology said in a statement the partial collapse of the previous tower likely began from the pool deck, which started collapsing before the rest of the building.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The second force is collapsing barriers to entry.—
Michael Jacobides,
Fortune,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Nothing will ever undo the original sin, and devoting your life to ruining someone else’s is a loss for both of you.—
Paula L. Woods,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Tony has fully jumped into our theatre program devoting himself to straight plays and musical theatre.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The Material steak knives arrived sharp, slicing through a piece of paper rather than crumpling its edge.—
Emily Johnson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As of now, Imam has no plans to create a think tank or a second campus, even though those had seemed like good ideas when applying for the grant.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
In a separate but related order issued the same day, the court granted Lara’s motion to exceed the $1 million statutory cap on damages under Colorado’s Health Care Availability Act, finding that applying the cap would be unfair under the circumstances.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket was the first to treat the world to the brain-bending sight of a rocket landing itself.—
Arianna Huffington,
Time,
15 Apr. 2026
-
This may occur due to the neck bending forward, compressing the veins, the authors suggested.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In 2022, researchers concluded that Neanderthals and humans lived alongside each other in France and Spain for up to 2,900 years, giving them plenty of time to potentially learn from or even breed with each other.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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As was the case with the white-and-green dress for her Pakistan tour, Elizabeth, in her fashion choices, sought not only to avoid giving offense but to offer symbolic ingratiation, and among the most fascinating garments on display are those representing diplomatic dressing.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buckling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buckling. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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