cratering

verb

present participle of crater
1
as in collapsing
to be unsuccessful a time when businesses were cratering left and right

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in plunging
to go to a lower level especially abruptly the stock price cratered when the company filed for Chapter 11

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cratering
  1. collapsing
  2. plunging
  3. failing
  4. falling
  5. flopping
  6. tumbling
  7. folding
  8. declining
Verb
  • She’d previously been diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a condition that can be brought on by overexertion, after collapsing from lower-body cramping and temporary leg paralysis during a 2025 playoff series against the Las Vegas Aces.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • One that is visibly collapsing under the weight of its scared cows.
    — Aparna Rae, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of collapsing
Verb
  • But the withdrawal of federal support caused the market to slump, with new EV sales plunging 27% year over year in the first three months of 2026.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Hailey Bieber showed off her toned abs in a plunging naby sports bra during a walk through Los Angeles on August 21.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of plunging
Verb
  • In a statement given to the The Athletic on Wednesday, Hampshire Police confirmed that Sterling had been charged with dangerous driving, possession of nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation and failing to provide a specimen.
    — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Last Year The Cowboys experienced a bizarre, roller-coaster 2025 season, ultimately finishing 7-9-1 and failing to qualify for the postseason.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of failing
Verb
  • In its place is a head of dark, longer hair parted down the middle, with loose curtain bangs falling across his forehead and framing his face.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Oil prices have extended recent losses in response to the statement, with international benchmark Brent crude falling below the $90 per barrel mark overnight.
    — Mike Sheen,Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of falling
Verb
  • The video shows the peacock, referred to by some in the neighborhood as Sugar, seemingly flopping around then collapsing.
    — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The papers were flopping off the edge of his desk, trembling in the breeze from the window; her hand reached out to stop them.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of flopping
Verb
  • The camera panned to team members, in their signature red and white, tumbling through the audience and onto the stage.
    — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Markets have been through this cycle repeatedly in recent years, with the 10-year yield edging up toward 5%, threatening stocks, and then tumbling back down again.
    — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of tumbling
Verb
  • Many of those waiting for the court to open in the early morning hours sat in folding chairs beneath flags flying at half-staff in honor of the late country music legend Dolly Parton.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a Santa Claus in a folding chair with a cardboard plank on two milk crates hustling tourists via three card monte.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of folding
Verb
  • The Little Rock School District faces declining enrollment and financial challenges.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The cliff bee population is declining due to overharvesting, habitat destruction and climate change.
    — Prayan Pokharel, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of declining
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.

Browse Nearby Words

cratered
cratering
craters
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cratering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cratering. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of kith

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All