as in failing
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in crumpling
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in flopping
to be unsuccessful
the legal case collapsed in the face of the opposition's evidence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in compressing
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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 collapsing
Adam Bell
april 2, Charlotte Observer, 2 Apr. 2026
The industry was at risk of collapsing—until the physical chemist Fritz Haber, at the behest of the German Supreme Command, managed to take a common by-product of dye manufacture and weaponize it.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
After collapsing last year, the stock has nearly doubled off its November low.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
When someone with sleep apnea sleeps on their back, there’s a risk of their airways collapsing, which can impede their ability to breathe, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Governor Kathy Hochul's once-commanding lead over Republican Bruce Blakeman has eroded by half in three months, collapsing from 26 points in January to just 13 points, according to the latest Siena Research Institute poll.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Unfortunately, that task has been much harder lately, as the Heat continued their descent into their annual spring Play-In Tournament destination by collapsing defensively yet again.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Unfortunately for physicists, our real universe is not collapsing or static but expanding — being pushed apart by dark energy.
—Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
The team had the best record in the major leagues as recently as June 13 of last season before collapsing and missing the postseason.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
Set in a collapsing Caracas, the film follows a woman who returns home after her mother’s funeral to find her apartment taken over by an armed militia.
—Adam Bell
april 2, Charlotte Observer, 2 Apr. 2026
The industry was at risk of collapsing—until the physical chemist Fritz Haber, at the behest of the German Supreme Command, managed to take a common by-product of dye manufacture and weaponize it.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
After collapsing last year, the stock has nearly doubled off its November low.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
When someone with sleep apnea sleeps on their back, there’s a risk of their airways collapsing, which can impede their ability to breathe, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Governor Kathy Hochul's once-commanding lead over Republican Bruce Blakeman has eroded by half in three months, collapsing from 26 points in January to just 13 points, according to the latest Siena Research Institute poll.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Unfortunately, that task has been much harder lately, as the Heat continued their descent into their annual spring Play-In Tournament destination by collapsing defensively yet again.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Unfortunately for physicists, our real universe is not collapsing or static but expanding — being pushed apart by dark energy.
—Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
The team had the best record in the major leagues as recently as June 13 of last season before collapsing and missing the postseason.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapsing
Adjective
-
The state graded the campus an F for three consecutive years, meaning two more failing grades could trigger an intervention.—
Noah Alcala Bach,
San Antonio Express-News,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Moses Moody scored 23 points before crumpling to the floor with an apparently serious left knee injury late in overtime as the Golden State Warriors beat Dallas 137-131 on Monday night, extending the Mavericks' home losing streak to 12 games, their longest in 32 years.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The Material steak knives arrived sharp, slicing through a piece of paper rather than crumpling its edge.—
Emily Johnson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Girlfriend scales the diaristic, bric-a-brac charm of Janky Star into a high-drama pop monument to trying, flopping, and trying even harder next time.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Cutting stems back by one-third their height will help plants resist flopping under the weight of the flowers.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Several people compressing the traditional learning curve.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Workers grew fungi on 12 tons of this otherwise useless waste, compressing and baking it into 925 blocks that were used to build a house.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The three units feature the same folding action and design, but certain specs vary.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Malott’s grandfather had always kept a beat-up old oak bi-folding table behind the counter.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The conflict has sent oil prices surging and stocks tumbling on inflation and economic growth fears.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The token has been volatile since the conflict in Iran began in late February, at one point jumping to a high of nearly $76,000 before tumbling once more as tensions in the region escalated.—
Emily Nicolle,
Fortune,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the poor quarters of New Delhi, households struggling to pay for gas fired up chulhas, old-school wood-burning stoves, and hoped their tinder supplies held.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Lillibridge says the prices are piling onto an already struggling industry.—
Lana Zak,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The videos have pulled back the curtain on ingredient shifts across some of the company’s most recognizable products — and a surging cocoa market that’s squeezing the entire candy industry.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Pios led 4-1 after a period and put the clamps down, methodically squeezing the clock and the Broncos’ hopes of a repeat title, a shift at a time.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Collapsing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapsing. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
