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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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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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
Sheri Bachstein, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
And when those pieces don’t keep up, the dream collapses under the weight of reality.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 Sep. 2025
Noah Camras, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
London time, perhaps reflecting the fact that credit rating downgrades were expected in the days after the collapse of former Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's government on Monday following a confidence vote.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Verb
If one person fell short, the whole operation would collapse.
—Sheri Bachstein, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
And when those pieces don’t keep up, the dream collapses under the weight of reality.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
Following yet another collapse on Tuesday night in which the Dodgers turned a 4-0 lead and no-hitter through five innings into a 9-6 loss, manager Dave Roberts was asked to dissect his bullpen's shortcomings.
—Noah Camras, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
London time, perhaps reflecting the fact that credit rating downgrades were expected in the days after the collapse of former Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's government on Monday following a confidence vote.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapse
Verb
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Sales of electric vehicles in the United States are almost certain to tumble when the $7,500 federal tax credit for EV buyers expires on October 1, leaving automakers and car buyers wondering where prices will go.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
23 Sep. 2025
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Nvidia, along with fellow leading AI player Oracle, tumbled on worries the advance was running out of steam with the outlook already priced into the shares.—
Sean Conlon,Pia Singh,
CNBC,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In what was billed as the biggest game in the history of this border feud, Indiana attacked from the first quarter and the Illini failed to respond.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
21 Sep. 2025
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Due in part to that battle, Bumgarner failed to pitch at least six innings for the first time in two months.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Why Prostate Cancer Often Presents Without Symptoms In the early stages of prostate cancer, the disease is generally confined to the prostate, so the tumor does not block or compress any nearby organs—nor cause any symptoms, Eswara explained.—
Jenna Anderson,
Health,
18 Sep. 2025
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Margins in the cannabis industry are significantly compressed due to federal tax restrictions, supply chain inefficiencies, and high operating expenses.—
Iris Dorbian,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Competitive Advantage Of Mentally Healthy Leadership Symptoms of leadership burnout can include fatigue, decreased cognitive function and emotional exhaustion.—
Kumar Abhishek Narayan,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Sashay’s other trademark, beyond the glasses and the perpetual sense of exhaustion, is her endearing, distinctively scratchy voice.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Despite the defeats, his investment in Cracker Barrel has been extraordinarily profitable.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
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However, for Ukah, defeat was never failure.—
Sindiswa Mabunda,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Harris felt Jill Biden never forgave her for going at Biden hard during the 2019 primary debate.—
Sydney Topf,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Sep. 2025
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Their remains went undiscovered for more than a year.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Timing is everything in tech, of course, so the fact that Google Glass flopped spectacularly doesn’t mean the Meta glasses are doomed—or ensure that Intel will mount a legendary comeback, a la Apple.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
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Still quieter than the music playing and the grunts of the adults flopping, the yelling of Tap and You okay?—
Matthew Shen Goodman,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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How To Cut Okra Properly When choosing okra, pick pods that are firm but give slightly when squeezed, with a bright, even color.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
23 Sep. 2025
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No more than the width of a credit card, bed bugs can squeeze behind electrical outlets, along window frames, under loose wallpaper and even in the head of a screw.—
Katie Nixon,
Nashville Tennessean,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Collapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapse. Accessed 26 Sep. 2025.
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