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
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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
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
The person left the apartment not long after but collapsed.
—Jose Fabian, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
Robert Lea, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Officials in Turkey, for instance, have expressed concern that a regime collapse in Iran could leave a power vacuum empowering other regional movements—such as the Kurdish militia located between Turkey, Iran, Syria, and Iraq—further eroding prospects for stability in the Middle East.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Verb
The credibility of the FBI analyst who testified about the matching hairs collapsed, along with any faith in hair analysis as a reliable forensic tool.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
The person left the apartment not long after but collapsed.
—Jose Fabian, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
This collapse also generates the universe's most powerful magnetic fields — and, like the cosmic equivalent of an ice skater drawing in their arms to increase their speed, the collapse can also speed up the spin of neutron stars to as much as 700 times a second.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Officials in Turkey, for instance, have expressed concern that a regime collapse in Iran could leave a power vacuum empowering other regional movements—such as the Kurdish militia located between Turkey, Iran, Syria, and Iraq—further eroding prospects for stability in the Middle East.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapse
Verb
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Tehran has kept a stranglehold over the strait, driving up global oil prices and causing financial markets to tumble.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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More recently, shares of alternative asset managers with the most exposure to enterprise software — which are especially vulnerable to artificial intelligence disruption — have tumbled.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the video, Woods can be seen wearing a blue polo shirt and leaning against the patrol car while failing the sobriety tests.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
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In other words, when a job requires multiple steps, creativity, or precision, AI replacements are more likely to fail than succeed.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Naturally, over time, the materials inside our mattress will compress under the weight, shift or wear down, all of which can ultimately lead to poor spinal alignment and compromised sleep positioning.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
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Several people compressing the traditional learning curve.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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With the help of journalist Gerrick Kennedy, the memoir details Brandy's meteoric rise to fame as a young teen while volleying ambition, exhaustion and self-doubt, moving through a predatory and tormenting industry and being misunderstood in the public eye.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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Investors should be wary given the bearish technical catalysts in former leaders like TSM and signs of long-term upside exhaustion across the sector.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Jaquez had the best performance off the Heat’s bench, finishing the defeat with 17 points, 10 rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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There is no defeat quite like sitting down for a gaming session after a 10-hour workday, hoping to get your woes out by winning some battles, but your ancient monitor decides to act up.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Could a straighter road make cars go faster?—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
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To meet his growing costs, Meraj had increased the price of a cup of tea from ten rupees to fifteen, a fifty-per-cent rise (in New York terms, like a cup of drip coffee going from just shy of four dollars to nearly six overnight).—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Why Frederick Jackson Turner’s Frontier Thesis initially flopped.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
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After beating Atlanta last Friday without Jaylen Brown and Charlotte on Sunday without Brown and Derrick White, Boston flopped in a rematch with the Hawks, losing 112-102 without a crew of contributors headlined by a resting Jayson Tatum.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Skiers and snowboarders trying to squeeze the last bits of winter fun from Colorado‘s meager snowpack will have one less option after this week, with Vail Resort set to close 11 days sooner than planned.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
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The disruption has not only sent fuel prices soaring, but has squeezed supplies of petrochemicals needed to make everyday items like shoes, clothing and plastic bags.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Collapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapse. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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