implosion

noun

im·​plo·​sion im-ˈplō-zhən 

1

: the action of imploding

2

: the act or action of bringing to or as if to a center

also : integration

this implosion of cultures makes realistic for the first time the age-old vision of a world culture

—Kenneth Keniston

3

: the inrush of air in forming a suction stop

implosive

im-ˈplō-siv 

-ziv

adjective or noun

Examples of implosion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That has played into his recent betrayals of Orton and Rhodes, with his desire to be a world champion again clearly contributing to the implosion of their trio. —Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024

Tropicana's implosion to bring down the Vegas casino on Wednesday. —Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 9 Oct. 2024

The submersible company suspended all exploration and commercial operations after the deadly implosion. —Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2024

In particular, testimony next Wednesday from an engineer at the National Transportation Safety Board’s Materials Laboratory about the Titan’s wreckage may identify the physical cause of the implosion. —Mark Harris, WIRED, 20 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

in- entry 2 + -plosion (as in explosion)

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

implosion

noun

im·​plo·​sion im-ˈplō-zhən 

: the action of imploding

implosive

-ˈplō-siv 

-ziv

adjective