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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in flopping
to be unsuccessful
the legal case collapsed in the face of the opposition's evidence
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in failing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of collapsing
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Rising delinquency rates among other concerns, recently led to subprime auto lender Tricolor unexpectedly collapsing.
—Michael Wayland, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025
Now, anyone can produce studio-quality audiovisual content from a prompt, collapsing traditional barriers of cost and geography.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025
For the Amazon rain forest and the North Atlantic, some cite a lack of evidence to declare the forest is collapsing or currents are weakening.
—Alexandra A Phillips, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2025
In a clip shared on social media, Black, dressed in his clerical garb, is seen being struck by the pepper ball and collapsing on the ground as others come to his aid.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Casualties were confirmed in Davao Oriental Province, including a woman killed by a collapsing wall in Mati City and another death in a residential building.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
An ceasefire in the early days of the war, in November 2023, lasted just a week before collapsing.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 9 Oct. 2025
Fumbles aside, Henry hasn’t looked washed, but a collapsing Ravens team has torpedoed his fantasy production.
—Dalton Del Don, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
The rare, direct foreign intervention, which will take the form of a currency swap, is aimed at boosting a collapsing peso and calming market volatility ahead of Argentina’s midterm elections later this month.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Rising delinquency rates among other concerns, recently led to subprime auto lender Tricolor unexpectedly collapsing.
—Michael Wayland, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025
Now, anyone can produce studio-quality audiovisual content from a prompt, collapsing traditional barriers of cost and geography.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025
For the Amazon rain forest and the North Atlantic, some cite a lack of evidence to declare the forest is collapsing or currents are weakening.
—Alexandra A Phillips, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2025
In a clip shared on social media, Black, dressed in his clerical garb, is seen being struck by the pepper ball and collapsing on the ground as others come to his aid.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Casualties were confirmed in Davao Oriental Province, including a woman killed by a collapsing wall in Mati City and another death in a residential building.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
An ceasefire in the early days of the war, in November 2023, lasted just a week before collapsing.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 9 Oct. 2025
Fumbles aside, Henry hasn’t looked washed, but a collapsing Ravens team has torpedoed his fantasy production.
—Dalton Del Don, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapsing
Verb
-
The sixth inning also featured a frightening moment when Cleveland’s David Fry, squaring around to bunt, took a 99 mph fastball from Skubal off his face, crumpling to the dirt as Skubal reacted with distress.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Singh’s truck blocked both lanes of the northbound Turnpike, leading the Chrysler Town & Country minivan the three friends were riding in to slam into the semi’s 18-wheeler trailer, crumpling underneath it.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Leafs chased the Kraken around the Toronto zone for extended periods, failing to control play as Stolarz tried and mostly excelled in keeping his team in it.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The prince was widely criticized for failing to show empathy for Epstein's victims and for offering unbelievable explanations for his friendship with the disgraced financier.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Within the first four minutes, there was a classic example of Dortmund compressing the pitch immediately to win the ball back, losing it, and then winning it again through Gundogan’s relentless running.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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Its work focuses on compressing large language platforms, or LLMs, and creating smaller models, in the belief that most consumers and business customers can do just fine with lower-powered but thoughtfully designed AI that needs less power and fewer chips to run.—
Vivienne Walt,
Fortune,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Samsung’s tri-folding phone could be expensive and niche like its Galaxy Z Fold, which only recently began gaining traction.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
18 Sep. 2025
-
According to data from market research firm IDC, the average selling price of folding phones is nearly three times higher than that of normal smartphones — roughly $1,218 vs. $421 for non-folding phones.—
Ryan Browne,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The fountain, which resembles a tumbling mess of boxy concrete tubes, some nearly forty feet high, has long been controversial.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The zoo has also shared videos of him tumbling and playing.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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With Ares flopping, the insider says Leto’s currency in town has run colder than Morbius’ vampire blood.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Oct. 2025
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Splinter after splinter flopping onto the stone threshold, tsss, tsss, hissing like a nest of vipers.—
Zuzana Říhová,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Like, the sharp pains, the ache, that squeezing.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Baker says each piece is so soft, almost like squeezing mini chunks of cotton candy.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The parts of California where going someplace requires getting on a highway and driving for thirty minutes feel like both Costco’s native habitat and my own.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
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The show does not reveal how the sentencing ends up going, instead concluding on a hopeful yet uncertain note.—
Grace Byron,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Collapsing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapsing. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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