fall apart

British  

verb

1. to break owing to long use or poor construction

   the chassis is falling apart

2. to become disorganized and ineffective

   since you resigned, the office has fallen apart

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fall apart Idioms  

1. Collapse, break down, either physically or mentally and emotionally. For example, This chair is about to fall apart, or After his wife died, he fell apart. For synonyms for the latter usage, see come apart at the seams; go to pieces.

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Example Sentences

The Norin deal fell apart last year because it couldn’t secure the approvals it needed from the Congolese.

From The Wall Street Journal

Mondays have typically been up days for stocks since the war began, but that pattern fell apart today.

From Barron's

I’m glad your business is working out, even though I wish it would just fall apart.

From Literature

But our focus has always been more on the parts of us that come together in a crisis, versus the parts of us that fall apart.

From Los Angeles Times

How come Duke keeps falling apart like that in huge contests?

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• break down
• collapse
• crumble