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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of collapse
Kate Andrews, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2026
Two of the skiers died in two avalanches near the Marmolada Glacier, which partially collapsed in 2022, killing 11 hikers at the time.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 13 Feb. 2026
Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 12 Feb. 2026
South Grove Holdings purchased the building for $1 million in September from Cuming Holdings, which spent $740,000 stabilizing the structure and bracing/preserving the facades after a second roof collapse in August 2025.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Verb
Nothing says happy Valentine’s Day like a collapsing birth rate.
—Kate Andrews, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2026
Two of the skiers died in two avalanches near the Marmolada Glacier, which partially collapsed in 2022, killing 11 hikers at the time.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
Lawyers argued Simpson, who moved to Oklahoma City from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, had a diagnosis of PTSD resulting from the collapse of access to basic necessities in the wake of the natural disaster, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 12 Feb. 2026
South Grove Holdings purchased the building for $1 million in September from Cuming Holdings, which spent $740,000 stabilizing the structure and bracing/preserving the facades after a second roof collapse in August 2025.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for collapse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapse
Verb
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Their chances of extending that record looked over after 16 minutes, though, when Diaz tumbled in the box after grappling with Kevin Akpoguma.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
At this point in his presidency four years ago, Democrat Joe Biden’s job rating was tumbling.—
Craig Gilbert,
jsonline.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That shutdown ended with a promise to vote on extending the subsidies, which failed.—
Riley Beggin,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
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Previous versions of the bill failed to gain traction in both chambers last year.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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None of these would form the loose, granular snow conditions that compress under skis on Earth and Pluto's gravity only makes things worse.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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Theoretically, the plasmas collide in the fusion chamber and are compressed by magnets around the machine.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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There’s a collective exhaustion with aggression, dominance being dressed up as confidence and leadership styles that demand sacrifice without offering sustainability.—
Kelly Ehlers,
Rolling Stone,
10 Feb. 2026
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But six days into 2025, Peter Seidler’s widow contested control of the team in a lawsuit brought against her brothers-in-law, and manager Mike Shildt retired 11 days after the season ended, citing exhaustion, while many on his staff and in the front office had been exhausted by him.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Stafford also engineered late game-winning drives in playoff victories over the Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears before the Rams suffered a 31-27 defeat by the Seahawks in the NFC championship.—
Gary Klein,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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Seattle bounced back from a defeat against the Ducks at Honda Center 24 hours earlier that snapped a four-game win streak.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Substitutions will always be scrutinised by supporters when results go badly.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Michael Hicks weighs in on how a copy‑paste bill has lawmakers going after degrees Indiana doesn’t even offer in his latest op-ed.—
Kurtcia Collazo,
IndyStar,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the field, Harry Truman’s Approval Rating whinnied and tossed its head, and Richard Nixon’s Approval Rating flopped on one side and emitted a horrible gurgle.—
Alexandra Petri,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
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While Cort earned his accolades, the film received mixed reviews upon release and flopped at the box office.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But, squeezed by the cost of things from rent to beef, others are shaking up their habit.—
Matt Sedensky,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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Ag is being squeezed by foreign competition, rising costs, and weak leadership in Austin.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Collapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapse. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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