BUCKLING Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

buckling

verb

present participle of buckle

as in collapsing

to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure the flimsy bridge buckled under the weight of the caravan of trucks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in devoting

to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention buckled himself down and finished the assignment in record time

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 buckling When a buckling spring switch is depressed, a capacitive flipper attached to the bottom of the switch’s spring is forced forward. — ArsTechnica, 5 Oct. 2026 His characters confront moments of reckoning—some comic, others karmic, often both—where self-belief collides with a buckling status quo. — Ryan Chapman, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026 Retail spending has trended lower in recent months, and the weak July reading raised questions whether the mighty US consumer might finally be buckling under the weight of higher inflation, mounting consumer debt and persistent economic uncertainty. — Matt Stiles, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2026 Ben’s view Glover’s argument to keep away from Big Tech is indicative of the reality in Washington that the US political system is buckling in the face of ascendant corporate and tech power. — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Errol Flynn has never been better than in this buckling charmer. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026 Besides a seat belt’s safety factor, buckling in can also prevent you from a hefty fine from law enforcement. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 July 2026 As the front end accelerates, the downstream workflows responsible for adapting and validating that content are buckling under the pressure. — Benjamin Faes, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Shortly after, the Fire Department responded to a report from construction workers that some of the steel support columns on the twenty-first floor were buckling. — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 11 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for buckling

Verb

Musk did not understand that in India, as in much of the world, trust in America is collapsing.

— Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Pushing the ball in transition, George made contact with Detroit guard Duncan Robinson before dramatically collapsing to the floor in an Oscar-worthy attempt to bait a whistle.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of collapsing

Verb

Amanpour did not offer a reason for her departure, devoting most of her memo to thanking the production crews who worked with her over the years.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
The impact could be significant in terms of medical costs and devoting more funding toward actual care rather than other costs.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of devoting

Verb

But Mulderrig’s red Harley-Davidson Sportster slammed into the rear passenger side of Oates’ Cadillac, crumpling the back corner and twisting the wheel out of shape.

— Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Euphoric players cavorting in disbelief, long-suffering fans crumpling to their knees in tears, commentators’ voices cracking at the drama of it all.

— Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Definition of crumpling

Verb

Agarwal is effectively taking infrastructure developed around one of the most document-heavy and regulated consumer financial transactions and applying it to a wider collection of financial problems.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
There is a special difficulty in applying just-war theory to wars between a powerful military and an insurgent group.

— Jordi Graupera, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of applying

Verb

Patients reported easier walking, climbing stairs and bending, while overall quality-of-life scores more than doubled over the 12-month follow-up period.

— Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Trump even threatened that election officials could be jailed for not bending to his will.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of bending

Verb

Ahead of the 2022 election, the prime minister helped broker an alliance between Ben-Gvir’s party and Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism, giving Netanyahu enough seats to assemble a government.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
Sánchez Bezos, the fund’s vice chair since its early days, has become a more visible face of the couple’s giving.

— Sydney Lake, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026