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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to fail
to be unsuccessful
the legal case collapsed in the face of the opposition's evidence
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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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1
as in exhaustion
a complete depletion of energy or strength
suffered a mental collapse under the strain of studying for his bar exam
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of collapse
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026
In 2005, four of the stacks collapsed, followed by a fifth four years later, so only seven remain.
—ArsTechnica, 2 May 2026
Michelle L. Price, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
So bad was this loss, so awful this series collapse, everything must be on the table.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Verb
Likely, the right play will often be to collapse the Spurs’ defense and then kick out.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026
In 2005, four of the stacks collapsed, followed by a fifth four years later, so only seven remain.
—ArsTechnica, 2 May 2026
Noun
Supporters of a rescue — including labor unions representing Spirit’s pilots and flight attendants — say that a collapse would cost jobs, reduce competition and push fares higher.
—Michelle L. Price, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
So bad was this loss, so awful this series collapse, everything must be on the table.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapse
Verb
-
The only injuries were likely sustained by guests and banquet staff tumbling over one another to hide under tables.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The Red Sox could also call a few other clubs who have tumbled down the standings.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The carrier failed to secure a financial lifeline to continue operating, ending the discount air travel pioneer’s time in the sky, costing some 17,000 jobs and thousands of cheap flights in the market.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
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The Kings have failed to advance beyond the first round in seven consecutive postseasons since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014, including six first-round exits since team president Luc Robitaille took ultimate charge of hockey operations in 2017.—
Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
The software supports batch processing for tasks like converting, compressing, and encrypting multiple files at once.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
30 Apr. 2026
-
If entry-level roles are compressed too aggressively, firms risk weakening their own talent pipelines.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There’s a deeper exhaustion here that can’t be ignored.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
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It was determined Megan had suffered from extreme exhaustion, dehydration, vasoconstriction, and low metabolic levels.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The margin for error is so little in the South Coast League that a hit here, an error there, can be the difference between victory and defeat.—
Martin Henderson,
Oc Register,
30 Apr. 2026
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Scratch him behind the ears and say Good boy over and over so the horse might tire of hearing it, but Pal never would, crunching his peppermint in sweet victory—even defeat.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Instead, the 2026 draft saw a running back go third, a middle linebacker go seventh, and nine offensive linemen gone by the end of the first round.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
There’s a lot that goes (on) behind the scene as a manager.—
Ronald Blum,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Suggs set the tone for the series in the opening quarter of Game 1, disrupting Pistons passes, sinking a pair of 3-pointers and belly-flopping to the floor to collect a loose basketball.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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On Thursday morning, visitors snapped photos as the Steller sea lion flopped on the pier, surrounded by dozens of much smaller California sea lions that call the docks home.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The global economy and consumers everywhere Consumers across the world are already getting squeezed by the impacts of the war.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
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In a behind-the-scenes shot by Alex Bramall, Princess Charlotte is seen sitting in front of Eugenie, laughing so hard her eyes are squeezed shut.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Collapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapse. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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