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

“When cases begin to fall apart after being advanced so publicly, it is fair to ask whether the process itself was flawed from the outset.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

A deal with McCormick could come within weeks, assuming the talks don’t fall apart, people familiar with the matter said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

They added these extraordinary efforts to hide his identity began to fall apart in September 2000, after he was charged with defacing a billboard in New York.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

"Fiction is about sharing experiences," he says -- a process that helps us to be "emotionally prepared when something serious happens to us in life, so we don't fall apart."

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

I asked him why it took him so long for things to fall apart.

From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia

Related Words

• break down
• collapse
• crumble