COLLAPSES Synonyms: 138 Similar and Opposite Words

collapses 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of collapse

as in tumbles

to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure the motel balcony collapsed under the weight of so many people

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as in fails

to be unsuccessful the legal case collapsed in the face of the opposition's evidence

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as in compresses

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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collapses

2 of 2

noun

plural of collapse

as in defeats

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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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.

Recent Examples of collapses

Verb

The balls are coated in panko breadcrumbs, then fried until the golden shell just holds together, and collapses with the first bite. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026 Bishan Singh refuses to cross the border, lets out a cry, and collapses on the strip of land belonging to neither country. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026 In practice, premium positioning collapses rather quickly if the product doesn’t survive scrutiny once somebody gets close enough to touch it. — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 That effectively collapses the $150 gap between premium and budget models — and shifts the buying decision to whichever brand your utility subsidizes this year. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson july 27, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 July 2026 The Bagsmart Foldable Crossbody Bag collapses into a pocket-sized pouch that slips inside totes, backpacks, and carry-on bags. — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026 Advertisement Gu-cheon manages to bring Saeng-gang back to the mortal world, but collapses into a coma soon after. — Kayti Burt, Time, 17 July 2026 Uvalde bridge collapses during Texas floods The deadly floodwaters have damaged roadways and spread debris over streets, especially in southwest and central Texas. — Natassia Paloma, USA Today, 17 July 2026 Then, just as Hawkins manages to get himself out of a particularly dire bunker, Old Henry collapses and dies on the spot. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 16 July 2026

Noun

On that end, Genevieve’s central pressure has crashed 64 millibars in under two days, falling from 993 mb as a tropical storm early Saturday to 929 mb at peak intensity – one of the steepest pressure collapses in the eastern Pacific in recent years. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 27 July 2026 But after a string of epic collapses last year, LaFleur faces the challenge of winning back the trust of his own locker room. — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 Even as America’s monoculture collapses, an invitation to appear on Real Time remains among the most coveted status symbols for America’s commentariat. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 23 July 2026 If your pet becomes confused, vomits, has diarrhea, collapses or experiences seizures, seek emergency veterinary care immediately. — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 21 July 2026 Character gives way to contrivance, and Ghost-Eye collapses under the strain. — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026 Momentum Technologies says the capsules can provide immediate shelter during tsunamis, flash floods, storm surges, armed attacks, collapses, extreme fires and dangerous environments. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2026 Thrilling results like the 4-3 comeback win against Inter Miami have been offset by collapses like the 6-0 loss at LAFC and the 6-2 defeat at Cincinnati in the final game before the long World Cup break. — Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026 Since then, the pup has helped save more than 350 lives, deployed after landslides, structural collapses, gas explosions, floods, and the 2023 earthquake in Turkey and Syria. — Tibisay Zea, Christian Science Monitor, 15 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapses

Verb

The glowing ribbon of the Milky Way tumbles directly through this cosmic triangle before arcing towards the southern horizon, though its diffuse light will be hidden behind a veil of moonlight on the night of the full moon.

— Anthony Wood, Space.com, 2 July 2026
Then the wisdom tumbles like Milk Duds fresh from the concessionaire.

— Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026

Definition of tumbles

Verb

Witchel, who built physics simulations to predict athletic injury before pivoting to cognitive care, argues that statistical AI fails at the individual level.

— Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
In turn, there is a perception that the endeavor is one big cash grab, one that is not worth the risk of embarrassment if the film fails critically and/or commercially.

— Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 31 July 2026

Definition of fails

Verb

Being an 80% keyboard, the MQ80 has the exact same number as tenkeyless, but IQUNIX compresses the layout, shifting the arrow keys, delete, home, end, page up and page down and others to the right.

— Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
That's a fundamental disagreement about the future of the sport, and this early opening date compresses the number of days available for the two sides to find a compromise.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of compresses

Verb

This cordless lamp comes in four warm neutrals, and all feature a ceramic shade that flops over its base like pastry dough.

— Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 15 July 2026
But when weighed down by the moisture, the grass flops over and doesn't present itself as well to the cutting blade.

— David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 23 June 2026

Definition of flops

Verb

As the plume rises, the water vapor cools and condenses into tiny cloud droplets, forming a cloud directly above the fire.

— Yunyao Li, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
Following the revision of ICOM’s definition of a museum, which faced controversy for not including terms such as decolonization, restitution, and repatriation, the new code condenses the eight principles of the 2004 code into five.

— News Desk, Artforum, 13 July 2026

Definition of condenses

Noun

Inadequate data management is projected to cause 60% of AI project failures, with autonomous agents posing even greater risks as errors can spread rapidly.

— Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
The Dolphins’ failures to defend the run come in large part due to the then-trio of rookie defensive tackles – Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers – that the team relied upon heavily.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026

Definition of failures

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“Collapses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapses. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of collapses

verb

noun

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