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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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
Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
Ongoing military activity in the Middle East and disagreements over Iran’s control of key shipping routes have left the diplomatic effort vulnerable to collapse before the talks even begin.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
Girod represents five clients with relationships to victims of the bridge collapse.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Verb
But a recent report on census data shows the flow of people into Florida, which spiked during the last five years, has collapsed, with several major urban counties showing population losses.
—Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
Ongoing military activity in the Middle East and disagreements over Iran’s control of key shipping routes have left the diplomatic effort vulnerable to collapse before the talks even begin.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
With Jax’s most loyal client at the center of a spiraling media disaster, The Stewart Firm is thrust into a high-stakes battle where every move could mean survival … or the collapse of the firm.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
Girod represents five clients with relationships to victims of the bridge collapse.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapse
Verb
-
On Friday, Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz fully open to commercial traffic, sending crude prices tumbling more than 10%.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The flagellar bundle falls apart, and the cell tumbles.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If Campbell fails, then speculation can fairly begin.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Just to recap, Dach had the puck in overtime in the neutral zone but failed to gain the red line before flipping the puck down the ice to get a change, being forced to stay on the ice when that puck crossed the Lightning goal line for an icing.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Squeezing their thighs into pants that are too tight to compress the cellulite.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In practice, this looks like development timelines compressing because approvals and feasibility checks move earlier.—
John Brearley,
Footwear News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
When John begins spitting out his food, his mother, Heather (Shirley Henderson), worn down by exhaustion and anger, banishes him from the dinner table—the first in an unceasing series of maternal rejections.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Sepideh Moafi is incredible in this scene, perfectly hitting every note of the anger, fear, and exhaustion Al-Hashimi is feeling.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Indiana dealt him a miserable Rose Bowl defeat at Pasadena, in a playoff game.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Wasted in Colorado’s defeat on Thursday was left fielder Mickey Moniak’s 4-for-5 performance that included two solo home runs.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As propaganda goes, the patriotic programming was benign.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Murakami connected for a two-run home run to right, which went 425 feet, in the fifth inning.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The crop can be harvested at anytime, but most gardeners leave bulbs in the ground until the tops decline and flop over.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
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Media companies a decade ago raced to engage young, bilingual Latinos by launching start-ups, including a joint venture between ABC News and Univision called Fusion that flopped.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Focusing on everyday shapewear, Yummie hugs instead of squeezes like traditional shapewear that can be extremely tight and constrictive.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
All movies need a 45-day exclusive theatrical window, because small and mid-budget movies that hit streaming sooner are getting squeezed.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Collapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapse. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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