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
Annika Kim Constantino,ashley Capoot, CNBC, 23 July 2025
Angelsharks are ambush predators that help maintain balance in coastal food webs, so if their populations collapse, the effects could ripple outward in unpredictable ways.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Michael Santoli, CNBC, 12 July 2025
Now, season three is raising the stakes by bringing in the most relatable thing the show has done — the threat of the total collapse of civilization.
—Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Verb
But by the end of June, the deal collapsed over Hims & Hers' sale and promotion of cheaper knock-offs.
—Annika Kim Constantino,ashley Capoot, CNBC, 23 July 2025
Angelsharks are ambush predators that help maintain balance in coastal food webs, so if their populations collapse, the effects could ripple outward in unpredictable ways.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Noun
With every orderly ratchet higher to a record high in the benchmark indexes, affirmed by a breakout in bitcoin as gold sleeps, a steep retreat in market volatility and a collapse in corporate-credit spreads, the investment universe is telling you to relax.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 12 July 2025
Now, season three is raising the stakes by bringing in the most relatable thing the show has done — the threat of the total collapse of civilization.
—Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapse
Verb
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Still, the episode sent stock prices tumbling and bond yields climbing, until Trump’s disavowal restored calm to the markets.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
17 July 2025
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One option could be to 'tumble' the regolith, turning it over repeatedly so that the heat is more evenly applied, but this slows the extraction of water and increases the mechanical complexity of the process.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
17 July 2025
Verb
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In 2022, Lenn Catley's heart began to fail because of amyloidosis, a buildup of proteins from his liver that attacked his heart.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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In the meantime, Congress has defanged the CAFE standards by removing the fines for carmakers who fail to meet them.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
29 July 2025
Verb
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The answer is a large-scale study (compressing five days of work into four) that employs more objective measurements in addition to self-reports and shows results that satisfy both worker well-being and business objectives.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
-
They are often compressed into triangular, ball, or cylinder shapes and wrapped in seaweed.—
Michiko Tomioka,
CNBC,
26 July 2025
Noun
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This matter of loss exhaustion brings me to the first caveat about fancified indexing.—
William Baldwin,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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For Baser, this past year has been a learning experience, a chance to reacquaint herself with her inner child in the midst of exhaustion.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
25 July 2025
Noun
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The Arizona Democratic Party held its statutory meeting on Jan. 18, ousting their former leader, Yolanda Bejarano, and installing businessman Robert Branscomb as the new chair on the heels of the party's defeat in state elections.—
Ray Stern,
AZCentral.com,
30 July 2025
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The son of Polish Holocaust survivors—his mother watched her mother and brother die at the hands of the Nazis; his father hid for six hundred days in a hole in the ground—Keret writes with irony, woundedness, and, sometimes, an accent of defeat.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
28 July 2025
Verb
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The Padres are relevant going into their second stretch drive under the Preller-Shildt tandem.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 July 2025
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Today marks 50 years since Jimmy Hoffa went missing.—
Leah Olajide,
Freep.com,
31 July 2025
Verb
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The analysis does point out some elements of the arrangement that could prove to be problematic for San Diego taxpayers if the project flops.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 July 2025
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Lastly, the charge port for the gearbox is on the end of a wire that just flops around in an annoying and unsightly fashion.—
Eric Bangeman,
ArsTechnica,
25 July 2025
Verb
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The Euro 2025 quarter-finals had late drama, with Italy squeezing past Norway, a comeback out of nowhere from England, and a farcical penalty shootout win over Sweden.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
20 July 2025
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Then, squeeze your Magic Eraser a few times to activate the foaming bubbles.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
20 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Collapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapse. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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