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View synonyms for collapse

collapse

[ kuh-laps ]

verb (used without object)

, col·lapsed, col·laps·ing.
  1. to fall or cave in; crumble suddenly:

    The roof collapsed and buried the crowd.

  2. to be made so that sections or parts can be folded up, as for convenient storage:

    This bridge table collapses.

  3. to break down; come to nothing; fail:

    Despite all their efforts the peace talks collapsed.

  4. to fall unconscious or as if unconscious or physically depleted, as from a stroke, heart attack, disease, or exhaustion.
  5. Pathology.
    1. to sink into extreme weakness.
    2. (of lungs) to come into an airless state.

verb (used with object)

, col·lapsed, col·laps·ing.
  1. to cause to collapse:

    He collapsed the table easily.

noun

  1. a falling in or together:

    Three miners were trapped by the collapse of the tunnel roof.

  2. a sudden, complete failure; breakdown:

    The bribery scandal brought about the complete collapse of his industrial empire.

collapse

/ kəˈlæps /

verb

  1. intr to fall down or cave in suddenly

    the whole building collapsed

  2. intr to fail completely

    his story collapsed on investigation

  3. intr to break down or fall down from lack of strength
  4. to fold (furniture, etc) compactly or (of furniture, etc) to be designed to fold compactly

noun

  1. the act or instance of suddenly falling down, caving in, or crumbling
  2. a sudden failure or breakdown

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Derived Forms

  • colˌlapsiˈbility, noun
  • colˈlapsible, adjective

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Other Words From

  • precol·lapse verb precollapsed precollapsing
  • uncol·lapsed adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of collapse1

First recorded in 1725–35; from Latin collāpsus “fallen together,” past participle of collābī “to fall down, fall together, fall into ruins,” from col- col- 1 + lābī “to fall, slide, make a mistake”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of collapse1

C18: from Latin collāpsus, from collābī to fall in ruins, from lābī to fall

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Example Sentences

Our analysis so far indicates that the answer is yes, provided the spontaneous collapse rate increases with the curvature of spacetime.

The country was already teetering on the edge of economic collapse before the blast.

From Ozy

There also was the collapse of a fuel tank in the mining city of Norilsk.

No matter how bizarre and twisted the universe looked before it contracted, the collapse would efficiently erase a wide range of primordial wrinkles.

The wave of evictions caused by the coronavirus could swamp even the massive dislocation caused by the collapse of the US housing bubble more than a decade ago.

From Quartz

Angry Birds at its simplest was the same way, though you wanted to watch things collapse and explode.

No precautions have been taken to reinforce the ceilings, which could collapse onto the statues.

In 1997, an earthquake in Assisi caused the collapse of the main cathedral and killed ten people.

A hard look at campus rape statistics, the collapse of The New Republic and the day John Lennon died.

But to say the capital teeters on the verge of collapse is both melodramatic and misleading.

At any moment, if he cared to collapse, he could make ten thousand pounds in a single day.

The danger of collapse was past for the present, but the deep sleep of utter intoxication still clung to the ruler of Asturia.

In a big armchair a white-haired man in evening dress was lying back in a state of collapse.

Beyond doubt here was the ruler of Asturia, whom Jessie had left not so long before in a state of collapse.

Collapse ensues and death takes place on the second to the fourth day of the affection.

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Related Words

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More About Collapse

What does collapse mean?

Collapse means to break apart suddenly, as in The rickety bridge collapsed into the river. If something collapses, it falls apart or caves in quickly and suddenly. Usually, something collapses because it’s unable to support its own weight.

Collapse can also be used figuratively to mean to fail or break down, as in The party quickly collapsed when two groups started fighting with each other.

Collapse can also mean to fall unconscious or to pass out, as in The marathon runner collapsed due to heat stroke.

Collapse can also be used as a noun in any of these senses, as in She determined that the coins dated back to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.

Example: I had to rebuild my house of cards after the wobbly table caused it to collapse.

Where does collapse come from?

The first records of collapse come from around 1725. It comes from the Latin collābī, meaning “to fall to ruins.” To collapse is to literally or figuratively fall, usually suddenly.

With any building or man-made structure, a big concern is the structure collapsing. To prevent this, structures are reinforced to be as sturdy as possible. Modern building collapses are usually due to poor construction methods or a lack of building maintenance. Building and bridge collapses are often major tragedies that cause death and extensive damage.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to collapse?

  • precollapse (verb)
  • uncollapsed (adjective)
  • collapsible (adjective)
  • collapsibility (noun)

What are some synonyms for collapse?

What are some words that share a root or word element with collapse?

What are some words that often get used in discussing collapse?

How is collapse used in real life?

Collapse is a common word that means to fall apart or suddenly fail.

 

 

Try using collapse!

Is collapse used correctly in the following sentence?

The company collapsed when it released a popular new toy and became more successful than ever.

More About Collapse

What does collapse mean?

Collapse means to break apart suddenly, as in The rickety bridge collapsed into the river. If something collapses, it falls apart or caves in quickly and suddenly. Usually, something collapses because it’s unable to support its own weight.

Collapse can also be used figuratively to mean to fail or break down, as in The party quickly collapsed when two groups started fighting with each other. 

Collapse can also mean to fall unconscious or to pass out, as in The marathon runner collapsed due to heat stroke.  

Collapse can also be used as a noun in any of these senses, as in She determined that the coins dated back to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. 

Example: I had to rebuild my house of cards after the wobbly table caused it to collapse.

Where does collapse come from?

The first records of collapse come from around 1725. It comes from the Latin collābī, meaning “to fall to ruins.” To collapse is to literally or figuratively fall, usually suddenly.

With any building or man-made structure, a big concern is the structure collapsing. To prevent this, structures are reinforced to be as sturdy as possible. Modern building collapses are usually due to poor construction methods or a lack of building maintenance. Building and bridge collapses are often major tragedies that cause death and extensive damage.

Did you know ... ?​

What are some other forms related to collapse?

  • precollapse (verb)
  • uncollapsed (adjective)
  • collapsible (adjective)
  • collapsibility (noun)

What are some synonyms for collapse?

What are some words that share a root or word element with collapse? 

What are some words that often get used in discussing collapse?

How is collapse used in real life?

Collapse is a common word that means to fall apart or suddenly fail.

 

 

Try using collapse!

Is collapse used correctly in the following sentence?

The company collapsed when it released a popular new toy and became more successful than ever.

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