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
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 21 Mar. 2026
That’s because wholesale flower prices in Colorado have collapsed.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
The community is on the brink of collapse – until Elias’ estranged brother Joosua returns from prison and performs a miraculous healing.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Verb
The relationship collapsed after the oligarch came to suspect the art dealer had helped himself to a tranche of his wealth, to the tune of $1 billion.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 21 Mar. 2026
That’s because wholesale flower prices in Colorado have collapsed.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
Noun
Continue reading … REVOLUTION RISING — Cuban exiles in Miami say 'this is the end' for communism as island teeters on collapse.
—FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
The community is on the brink of collapse – until Elias’ estranged brother Joosua returns from prison and performs a miraculous healing.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 20 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
-
That too is likely to fail as lawmakers hold a rare weekend session.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
-
After failing to score in three consecutive league games, Farke must be tempted to tweak the system.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As the air subsides, it is compressed, which warms it up.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
20 Mar. 2026
-
That pressure pushes down on the air underneath it, compressing and heating it.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
17 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
-
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
-
Less than a month ago, the Lakers squandered double-digit leads against the Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic in down-to-the-wire defeats.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Ghalibaf accused Israel of attacking infrastructure to conceal battlefield defeats in an X post.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
Arkansas Online,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Having faced Big Ten physicality all season, first-year Iowa coach Ben McCollum’s team went toe to toe with Florida’s punishing front court.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
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Part of the money will also go toward expansion of Philander Smith's health education facilities, including space for soon-to-be radiologists and phlebotomists.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Girlfriend scales the diaristic, bric-a-brac charm of Janky Star into a high-drama pop monument to trying, flopping, and trying even harder next time.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
20 Mar. 2026
-
All those efforts flopped in Congress.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The three of us squeezed into our bedroom closet and huddled over my phone.—
Amanda Peet,
New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2026
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Oil prices would continue to soar, while fertilizer, generic drugs, helium and other products dependent on the strait would grow scarce, squeezing the American economy and world economy alike.—
Nicholas D. Kristof,
Mercury News,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Collapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapse. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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