1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fails
to be unsuccessful
the legal case collapsed in the face of the opposition's evidence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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 collapses
Tibisay Zea,
Christian Science Monitor,
30 June 2026
By contrast, Roberts’s opinion in Slaughter collapses this distinction.
—
George Thomas,
The Atlantic,
30 June 2026
Weakness, frostbite, and the early stages of hypothermia are obvious long before a reasonably fit person collapses.
—
William Finnegan,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
Seek shelter under a heavy table or near sturdy furniture that may yield a survivable pocket if the roof collapses.
—
ABC News,
29 June 2026
If a neutron star gets more massive and more dense, the forces that hold atoms together can finally surrender to gravity, and all the mass collapses inward.
—
Stephen Dikerby,
The Conversation,
29 June 2026
All the Strongs dispatched, the witch, Alys Rivers *Gayle Rankin) appears just as Aemond collapses to the floor.
—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The model of buying players, winning trophies, and monetizing the resulting fanbase is a bet that pays out inconsistently and collapses without warning.
—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
Canvas collapses what has typically been a fragmented production chain into a single workspace.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
23 June 2026
CNN Money,
1 July 2026
First responders handled two rescues in 24 hours after workers were trapped in separate construction trench collapses in Oakland County, Michigan.
—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Building collapses are common in Pakistan, where construction standards are often poorly enforced.
—
ABC News,
30 June 2026
The next time something in your work collapses—a deal, a plan, a role you were attached to—resist the urge to rebuild the illusion.
—
Alfonso Cahero,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
More than 100 firefighters from several departments worked to fight the blaze overnight, and many had to retreat from the former factory to avoid collapses.
—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
27 June 2026
Minasian, who was hired after the 2020 season, compiled a 392-500 record during a tenure defined by drama, late-season collapses and chaotic roster turnover.
—
Sam Blum,
New York Times,
27 June 2026
Oh, and a few minutes later, Beulah suffers what looks to be a heart attack or stroke and collapses.
—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
19 June 2026
Sustain the releases across a wide enough area for long enough, and the population starves itself of offspring and collapses.
—
Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 2026
Verb
Corruption deepened, the economy entered one of the worst collapses in modern history, and a humanitarian crisis pushed close to a third of the population out of the country.
—
Tibisay Zea,
Christian Science Monitor,
30 June 2026
By contrast, Roberts’s opinion in Slaughter collapses this distinction.
—
George Thomas,
The Atlantic,
30 June 2026
Weakness, frostbite, and the early stages of hypothermia are obvious long before a reasonably fit person collapses.
—
William Finnegan,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
Seek shelter under a heavy table or near sturdy furniture that may yield a survivable pocket if the roof collapses.
—
ABC News,
29 June 2026
If a neutron star gets more massive and more dense, the forces that hold atoms together can finally surrender to gravity, and all the mass collapses inward.
—
Stephen Dikerby,
The Conversation,
29 June 2026
All the Strongs dispatched, the witch, Alys Rivers *Gayle Rankin) appears just as Aemond collapses to the floor.
—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The model of buying players, winning trophies, and monetizing the resulting fanbase is a bet that pays out inconsistently and collapses without warning.
—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
Canvas collapses what has typically been a fragmented production chain into a single workspace.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
23 June 2026
Noun
Building collapses are common in Pakistan, where construction standards are often poorly enforced.
—
CNN Money,
1 July 2026
First responders handled two rescues in 24 hours after workers were trapped in separate construction trench collapses in Oakland County, Michigan.
—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Building collapses are common in Pakistan, where construction standards are often poorly enforced.
—
ABC News,
30 June 2026
The next time something in your work collapses—a deal, a plan, a role you were attached to—resist the urge to rebuild the illusion.
—
Alfonso Cahero,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
More than 100 firefighters from several departments worked to fight the blaze overnight, and many had to retreat from the former factory to avoid collapses.
—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
27 June 2026
Minasian, who was hired after the 2020 season, compiled a 392-500 record during a tenure defined by drama, late-season collapses and chaotic roster turnover.
—
Sam Blum,
New York Times,
27 June 2026
Oh, and a few minutes later, Beulah suffers what looks to be a heart attack or stroke and collapses.
—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
19 June 2026
Sustain the releases across a wide enough area for long enough, and the population starves itself of offspring and collapses.
—
Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 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.
-
Then the wisdom tumbles like Milk Duds fresh from the concessionaire.
Verb
-
But too often that has become shorthand for a stodgy and unresponsive sector that fails to respond to customer demand.
-
Standard sonar often fails in shallow waters, while cameras are blinded by shifting sands and the simple distortion of rolling ocean waves.
Verb
-
The system first creates a magnetized plasma, then rapidly compresses it with a lithium liner.
-
Sitting for hours on end compresses joints and reduces circulation of synovial fluid, the body’s natural joint lubricant.
Noun
-
Between 2012 and 2017, Nadal suffered seven shock defeats at Grand Slams before the quarterfinals.
-
At one point in the 1980s, a local news article reported that the district attorney’s office had suffered nine trial defeats in a row.
Verb
-
That water supply is not the same water supply that goes toward agriculture, which accounts for a huge portion of the water used in the country, Anisfeld said.
-
Sanders identifies a real free-rider problem, even if his solution goes much too far.
Verb
-
But when weighed down by the moisture, the grass flops over and doesn't present itself as well to the cutting blade.
-
One of the best bigs in [expletive] basketball history flops.
Verb
-
Prioritise, which uses AI to surface your most important notifications first, and Summarise, which condenses long chat threads into a quick summary without opening the app.
-
Belmont says the facility would generate enough heat to raise nighttime temperatures by eight to 12 degrees, irrevocably shifting the dew point, the temperature at which water condenses.
Noun
-
According to Castillo, one of the most significant failures has been the tendency to treat many squatter complaints as civil disputes rather than criminal investigations.
-
Spence also appears to be absorbing the blame for broader failures, with Thomas Tuchel’s touchline frustrations obvious and — for a player still establishing himself at this level — that scrutiny is unlikely to help.
Cite this Entry
“Collapses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapses. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
