collide

verb

col·​lide kə-ˈlīd 

collided; colliding

intransitive verb

1

: to come together with solid or direct impact

The car collided with a tree.

Two helicopters collided.

2

: clash

colliding cultures

Science and religion collided in the court.

Synonyms

• clash
• conflict
• disaccord
• discord
• jar

Examples of collide in a Sentence

Two football players collided on the field.

the candidate had a reputation as a maverick whose positions often collided with the party platform

Recent Examples on the Web

Violent thunderstorms are most common in spring and summer, but a second surge of dangerous storms and tornadoes happens during fall and winter as cold air from the north often collides with warmer, moist air streaming out of the Gulf of Mexico. —Chris Boyette, CNN, 3 Nov. 2024

This latest accident on June 23, 2024, was especially challenging, as his car suffered catastrophic engine failure at over 300 mph, resulting in Force colliding with the concrete guard walls. —Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024

The pickup drifted to the right and collided with the unoccupied vehicle and the two pedestrians. —Olivia Rose, The Arizona Republic, 31 Oct. 2024

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Riverhead Books: $30) Two worlds collide when a teenager vanishes from her Adirondacks summer camp. … Hardcover nonfiction 1. —The California Independent Booksellers Alliance, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin collidere, from com- + laedere to injure by striking

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

collide

verb

col·​lide kə-ˈlīd 

collided; colliding

1

: to come together with solid impact

the football players collided

2

: clash entry 1 sense 2a

their different outlooks collided