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
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
Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026
Instead of a mass shooting, which served as the big catalytic event last time around, there’s a water park that suffers the collapse of several key structures.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 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
Founded after World War I, Hitler’s party did not really gain in popularity until the economic collapse of the Great Depression.
—Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026
Instead of a mass shooting, which served as the big catalytic event last time around, there’s a water park that suffers the collapse of several key structures.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapse
Verb
-
The loss was the seventh in eight games for the Ducks, who have tumbled from first to third in the Pacific Division standings and may now have to settle for a wild-card berth.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
-
User days in 2002 tumbled 40% from the previous year, according to figures compiled by the outfitters association, from more than 502,000 in 2001 to 298,000 in 2002.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Then doctors realized Gould's heart was failing.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Viva Supermarket failed a reinspection on Saturday, April 11 for similar violations.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The memory foam feels plush yet supportive, and the pillow compresses down to fit easily in a carry-on when not in use.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Apr. 2026
-
The attached marathon seasons, compressed offseasons and challenging schedules that came with that stature also included generally being relegated to the posterior of the draft.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Asha was admitted at the hospital on late Saturday with a chest infection and exhaustion, her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle said in a social media post.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Bhosle, who was the younger sister of singer Lata Mangeshkar, had been moved to a private hospital in Mumbai on Saturday evening because of a chest infection and exhaustion, her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle said earlier.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After England’s decisive defeat, John was forced to confront rebellious barons at home.—
Joëlle Rollo-Koster,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The 21-year-old forward’s first-half goal and assist paced the host team to a shocking 3-0 defeat of Sporting KC, marking the Major League Soccer club’s first opening-game exit in this tourney since 2023.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the courtroom, Alfortish’s face looked gaunt after spending roughly a year in prison, and his hair, thinning now, had gone white.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The Nets, who went 26-56 last season, have lost four consecutive season finales.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 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
-
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 18 Apr. 2026.
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