collapsing 1 of 2

adjective

as in failing

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collapsing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of collapse
1
as in crumpling
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure the motel balcony collapsed under the weight of so many people

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in flopping
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 compressing
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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of collapsing
Verb
The most recent fatality was on July 11, when a 64-year-old Greek hiker died after collapsing on a trail. — ABC News, 18 July 2026 De la Fuente’s side are exceptional at counter-pressing — collapsing on to the ball to quickly regain possession and sustain their attack to suffocate the other team. — Mark Carey, New York Times, 18 July 2026 Engineering assessments deemed the century-old structure unsalvageable, Kennedy has said, citing a collapsing roof and significant structural failure. — Charlotte Observer, 17 July 2026 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted a picture on X late Thursday showing the tower collapsing as plumes of smoke rose around it. — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 17 July 2026 The results have shown — from 5-7 and missing a bowl game in 2022 to 7-6 in 2023 to 10-3 in 2024 but collapsing at the end to 13-3 and a run to the national championship last season. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026 Latinos are also, on average, much younger than the general population, as a result of collapsing birth rates among white Americans. — Jack Herrera, New Yorker, 14 July 2026 Elsewhere along the Black River, campers clung to collapsing structures and trees as floodwaters surged, while search crews continued looking for a woman swept away with her dogs. — Hallie Golden, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026 Her late husband Grant Wahl, for decades the preeminent soccer journalist in the United States, died at the Qatar World Cup in 2022, after collapsing while covering a quarterfinal match between Argentina and the Netherlands. — Sean Gregory, Time, 10 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapsing
  1. failing
  2. crumpling
  3. flopping
  4. compressing
  5. folding
  6. tumbling
  7. struggling
  8. squeezing
Adjective
  • The state graded the campus an F for three consecutive years, meaning two more failing grades could trigger an intervention.
    — Noah Alcala Bach, San Antonio Express-News, 1 Jan. 2026
Definition of failing
Verb
  • Moses Moody scored 23 points before crumpling to the floor with an apparently serious left knee injury late in overtime as the Golden State Warriors beat Dallas 137-131 on Monday night, extending the Mavericks' home losing streak to 12 games, their longest in 32 years.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Late on, with the game already won, James Garner and substitute Merlin Rohl chased Enzo Fernandez, sending him crumpling to the turf.
    — Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
Definition of crumpling
Verb
  • However, tall varieties, which can reach 5 feet in height, should be staked to keep them upright and prevent them from flopping over nearby plants.
    — Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 July 2026
  • Brown has talked trash about Sixers center Joel Embiid and has accused him of flopping.
    — Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of flopping
Verb
  • When force is applied, the pillar tilts toward the point of contact, compressing the corresponding chamber and pushing fluid through soft tubes to actuators.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026
  • And that’s on top of allegedly deleting or compressing billions of logs that should have been preserved.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 9 July 2026
Definition of compressing
Adjective
  • These are challenges that supposedly don't hit a flat, non-folding display anywhere near as hard.
    — Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Scroll on for more Walmart patio picks, including a folding Adirondack chair under $100, a resort-style pergola, and a classic steel garden bench available in over a dozen colors.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2026
Definition of folding
Verb
  • Earlier this week, Sandy took an unexpected fledge after losing her balance and tumbling down the nest tree.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 2 July 2026
  • On July 9, 2025, people at Camp Wildcraft reported hearing a loud crack before the massive branch, estimated to weigh several hundred pounds, came tumbling down, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Lt.
    — Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of tumbling
Verb
  • Her family has been struggling after her husband lost his job as a motorcycle rider and crossed the border into neighboring Niger to look for work.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • But he was lifted in the fourth inning, forcing Kotsay toward the team’s struggling bullpen earlier than expected.
    — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of struggling
Verb
  • Planning a Broadway show night in New York City means squeezing a full day into the blocks around Times Square, and the right pre-Broadway show itinerary can turn a two-hour ticket into a memorable outing.
    — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
  • The result is a new generation of patients planning trips around treatments rather than squeezing appointments into an existing vacation.
    — Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of squeezing

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collapses
collapsing
collar
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Cite this Entry

“Collapsing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapsing. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of collapsing for Spanish Speakers

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