1
as in to tumble
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 to fail
to be unsuccessful
the legal case collapsed in the face of the opposition's evidence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to compress
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in exhaustion
a complete depletion of energy or strength
suffered a mental collapse under the strain of studying for his bar exam
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2
as in defeat
a falling short of one's goals
the complete collapse of the invasion set off a round of finger-pointing and recrimination
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of collapse
Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
The Friday meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump collapsed into a chaotic three-way shouting match − in front of TV cameras − that also included Vice President JD Vance.
—Davis Winkie, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2025
Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2025
The collapse of the star's core triggers a subsequent rebounding and explosion of material in the star's outer layers, from which new stars form.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Verb
They are devastated by what has happened, and terrified of what could happen if the current ceasefire collapses and the war and bombing resumes.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
The Friday meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump collapsed into a chaotic three-way shouting match − in front of TV cameras − that also included Vice President JD Vance.
—Davis Winkie, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2025
Noun
From fully locked in and comfortably ahead to being on the verge of collapse.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2025
The collapse of the star's core triggers a subsequent rebounding and explosion of material in the star's outer layers, from which new stars form.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapse
Verb
-
But Coinbase fell earlier this week to its lowest price since just before the election, tumbling in tandem with bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.—
MacKenzie Sigalos,
CNBC,
28 Feb. 2025
-
The brothers dropped off from the list a year later as Sapura's share price tumbled.—
Yessar Rosendar,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The firm failed to show that its extract was generally recognized as safe, the FDA memo said.—
David Hilzenrath,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2025
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Despite being aware of the cellmate’s dangerous behavior, staff failed to intervene, according to a lawsuit.—
Stories by Real-Time News team, with AI summarization,
Miami Herald,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In court, his lawyers argued that officers compressed his chest with their body weight, leading him to asphyxiate.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacramento Bee,
6 Mar. 2025
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Short bursts around the black hole are likely caused by disturbances in the disk—compressing plasma to produce a temporary flash of radiation.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
While the world continues around them, parents of children with life-threatening illnesses experience profound exhaustion, fear, and anxiety.—
Friends of Karen,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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In a time of intense polarization, voters in municipal elections that were held Tuesday around the Chicago area showed encouraging signs of exhaustion with politicians’ drama.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Russian cartoons cast him as Napoleon Bonaparte riding towards defeat in Russia in 1812.—
Fox News,
Fox News,
6 Mar. 2025
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Arsenal has now won five Champions League games in a row, a run stretching back to November’s 1-0 defeat against Inter Milan.—
George Ramsay,
CNN,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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When family members alerted the authorities that Tylee and J.J. had gone missing, Lori and Chad took off to Hawaii, where they were eventually arrested on Feb. 20, 2020.—
Jessica Sager,
People.com,
8 Mar. 2025
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While holding onto resentment—or ignoring reality—can lead to distance and anger, letting go allows couples to move forward without carrying the weight of baggage.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
If Dune: Part One flopped, there would be no sequel.—
AJ Thomas,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
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Firestarter was originally supposed to be directed by John Carpenter, but the studio rejected him because The Thing had flopped.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The international order forged after World War II is imploding, squeezed on all sides by the return of strongmen, nationalism and spheres of influence — with President Trump leading the charge.—
Zachary Basu,
Axios,
28 Feb. 2025
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Goldman Sachs previously estimated that these tariffs could increase inflation by 1 percent while squeezing U.S. company profits and risking retaliatory measures from other nations.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Collapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapse. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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