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

See Examples For:

fall apart

The talks are ongoing and could fall apart, the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

And we wanted to let women know that if we do that, everything isn't going to fall apart.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

"Everything is powered by electricity right now. Without us, the whole world would probably fall apart."

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

Before Huang could finish the book, the life he was writing about had to fall apart.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

They were replaced every two years, although they began to fall apart within a month or two.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Related Words

• break down
• collapse
• crumble