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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2
as in flopping
to be unsuccessful the legal case collapsed in the face of the opposition's evidence

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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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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
Musk did not understand that in India, as in much of the world, trust in America is collapsing. — Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026 Pushing the ball in transition, George made contact with Detroit guard Duncan Robinson before dramatically collapsing to the floor in an Oscar-worthy attempt to bait a whistle. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Penguins forward Ben Kindel has been discharged from a Utah hospital and returned to Pittsburgh after collapsing on the team plane earlier this week. — Mike Darnay, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 Dubas said to his knowledge that Kindel had no previous history of collapsing. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 And for a quarterback whose superpower involves shuffling through collapsing pockets, scrambling through squalor, throwing off any and every platform — such a question was warranted. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026 Video of the 143-year-old building in flames, its bell tower collapsing, spread widely online over the weekend. — Tom Nouvian, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 His message delivery is no more successful than Todd’s, and now the entire conference is in danger of collapsing. — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026 Inflation that hot is the hallmark of a tight labor market and strong demand, not a collapsing one. — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 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 World Bank, International Monetary Fund and International Criminal Court, which all got failing grades in last year's survey, saw the biggest gains.
    — Andrea Shalal, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026
  • 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
  • But Mulderrig’s red Harley-Davidson Sportster slammed into the rear passenger side of Oates’ Cadillac, crumpling the back corner and twisting the wheel out of shape.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Euphoric players cavorting in disbelief, long-suffering fans crumpling to their knees in tears, commentators’ voices cracking at the drama of it all.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of crumpling
Verb
  • Because the flopping infraction carries no suspension, George remains fully cleared to suit up Friday when Boston hosts his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The tall foliage of bearded iris (Iris germanica) begins flopping early in the growing season.
    — Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of flopping
Verb
  • Needless to say, there’s a lot going on in Butler’s busy, occasionally dizzying script, though compressing the approximately 550-page source material was surely no easy task.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The rapid earnings growth also has the effect of compressing multiples.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of compressing
Adjective
  • Prior to 2026, most folding phones opted for a tall-and-narrow shape to optimize for using vertical apps on the cover screen.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Apple already offers this feature on non-folding iPhones, but those devices must be plugged in and propped up on their side.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of folding
Verb
  • Some opening day effects are long gone, such as the illusion created by actual shifting doors at the start of the attraction, or visions of tumbling rubble near its beginning.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The call followed the release of solid financial results for the July-to-September quarter, though lower fourth-quarter and full-year guidance spooked investors and sent Netflix shares tumbling in after-hours trading.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of tumbling
Verb
  • The school has implemented programs to help struggling students close achievement gaps and introduced the Hadley Literacy Plan to improve writing schoolwide.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Fashion’s nature risks and dependencies are wide-reaching, from cotton harvests ravaged by drought and leather supply chains riddled with deforestation, to manufacturing hubs struggling with water scarcity and retail networks affected by flooding.
    — Bella Webb, Vogue, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of struggling
Verb
  • The remarks followed the release of strong quarterly results, with revenue and earnings beating analysts’ expectations despite a 6% downturn in revenue due to pressure squeezing all broadband purveyors.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Fuel expenses are squeezing daily household budgets and tightening cash flow toward the end of the month, with reports indicating a growing number of French employees are requesting payroll advances to manage month end expenses.
    — , CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of squeezing

Browse Nearby Words

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 26 Oct. 2026.

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