collision

American  

[kuh-lizh-uhn] / kəˈlɪʒ ən /

noun

• collisions
  plural

1. the act of colliding; a coming violently into contact; crash.

   the collision of two airplanes.

2. a clash; conflict.

   a collision of purposes.

3. Physics. the meeting of particles or of bodies in which each exerts a force upon the other, causing the exchange of energy or momentum.

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collision British  

/ kəˈlɪʒən /

noun

1. a violent impact of moving objects; crash

2. the conflict of opposed ideas, wishes, attitudes, etc

   a collision of interests

3. physics an event in which two or more bodies or particles come together with a resulting change of direction and, normally, energy

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• anticollision
  adjective
• collisional
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• collisions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of collision

1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin collīsiōn- (stem of collīsiō ), equivalent to collīs ( us ) (past participle of collīdere to collide ) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

A collision is when two or more things smash together. You shouldn't give yourself a pedicure while driving because it might result in a collision, wrecking your car and spoiling your toenail polish to boot. Collision comes from the Latin col-, "together," and lædĕre, "to hurt by striking." When a train hits a car, that's a collision. An asteroid hurtling toward earth is on a "collision course" with our planet. Collision also works for abstract conflicts that get violent or hurt your brain somehow, like the collision between two politicians during a debate, or the collision of colors in your outfit.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

collision collisions

The train involved in the collision was a limited express train, according to NHK.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

The collision blasted this weathered material from as deep as 1.5 feet beneath the lunar surface.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

Also on MarketWatch: Is collision insurance still worth it for an older car?

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

And it should be understood that if insurers refuse to cover claims, the individual who caused the collision may be personally responsible.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

A blaze of connection—or collision, as though they had long been wandering in the same labyrinth and had finally rounded the corner that would bring them face-to-face.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

They should carefully safeguard their legitimacy so they may adjudicate authoritatively when true collisions between the branches arise.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

But many whales are also identifiable by their scars, including from collisions with everything from tankers, cargo and cruise ships to fishing boats and recreational vessels.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

There have been many examples where riders have had collisions or close calls with cars entering a live stage route regardless of the type of closure.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Still, collisions involving Waymo vehicles have garnered public attention and criticism, including when a Waymo struck and killed a beloved neighborhood cat in San Francisco last year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

I phoned her not long after it began, when the rapping against our windows got so bad I thought for certain those hundreds of tiny collisions would break the glass.

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez