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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in exhaustion
a complete depletion of energy or strength
suffered a mental collapse under the strain of studying for his bar exam
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of collapse
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
The film opens with Lorenz Hart collapsing and then with what’s supposed to sound like an archival radio obituary from 1943.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2026
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 13 Mar. 2026
Texas was undone by a ninth-inning collapse in a 9-8 loss to Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday night.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Verb
That summer, according to the documents, Nikolic’s own working relationship with Gates began to collapse.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
The film opens with Lorenz Hart collapsing and then with what’s supposed to sound like an archival radio obituary from 1943.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2026
Noun
News of American Legion building collapse prompted hundreds of people to post offers of help on social media.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 13 Mar. 2026
Texas was undone by a ninth-inning collapse in a 9-8 loss to Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday night.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapse
Verb
-
Butterflies zigzagging around the gates, the sound of water tumbling down the mountainside, cutting through the greenery.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Its delicate, cheerful blooms tumble over walls and sidewalks alike, filling them with tiny blossoms.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some candidates who submitted petitions by the March 4 deadline failed to qualify because some of their signatures were deemed invalid.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Republicans, who control half of the Minnesota House, pointed out that DHS failed to detect fraud for years.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But moments like this often compress complexity into a single narrative.—
Milan Shetti,
Fortune,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Because tight coils shrink and compress, density changes may be harder to notice at first.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The exhaustion, compounded by the search for the right balance, showed most clearly at the Bernabeu.—
Sukhman Singh,
New York Times,
17 Mar. 2026
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Investigators also allege the girl was forced to sleep in an uninsulated garage without bedding during the winter months, denied adequate nutrition and made to perform strenuous exercise until exhaustion under threats of assault.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Tuesday’s 83-79 overtime loss to Washington in the Big Ten tournament, the Trojans’ eighth straight defeat, brought to a close what USC coach Eric Musselman called the toughest stretch of his coaching career.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Porro and Van de Ven appeared to clash with the away fans following January’s defeat by Bournemouth.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
His Jayhawks went 1-1 at the Big 12 tournament, defeating TCU 78-73 on Thursday before getting clobbered by Houston 69-47 in Friday’s semifinals.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The team that went undefeated in the regular season, racked up more victories than anyone but Duke and Arizona -- and fewer losses than any team at all -- is anything but your run-of-the-mill basketball behemoth.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Both teams … the Heat and the Wizards … conspired with their flopping and intentional fouling to get him to 83.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Still, the series might have flopped were its actors not so likable.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Gasoline prices have raced closer to $4 per gallon during the war, squeezing many household budgets that are already under pressure.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Research budgets were gutted, marketing hollowed out, suppliers squeezed.—
Paul Polman,
Fortune,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Collapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapse. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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