collide

verb

col·​lide kə-ˈlīd How to pronounce collide (audio)
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.

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
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.
Their car then traveled down an embankment and collided with a large tree. Donald, who was driving the vehicle, and Maria, who was sitting in the passenger seat, were killed, while their two younger children survived and were hospitalized with serious injuries. Sam Gillette, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025 Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Lucas J. Hastings/U.S. Navy The encounter took place two days after a Chinese navy destroyer and coast guard ship collided while attempting to drive away a smaller Philippine coast guard cutter near Scarborough Shoal. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025 In the 13 minutes of calls, witnesses described seeing the personal watercraft traveling fast in the water the moment before the crash and people trying to pull the girls out of the water after colliding with the concrete dock. Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025 Last week a Chinese Coast Guard ship and a Chinese destroyer collided in that region while pursuing a Coast Guard vessel belonging to the Philippines, a major U.S. military partner. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for collide

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of collide was in 1700

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Collide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collide. Accessed 1 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

collide

verb
col·​lide kə-ˈlīd How to pronounce collide (audio)
collided; colliding
1
: to come together with solid impact
the football players collided
2
: clash entry 1 sense 2a
their different outlooks collided

More from Merriam-Webster on collide

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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