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

Paramount would also have to pay Warner a $7-billion breakup fee should the deal fall apart.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

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

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

In England and Wales, buyers can currently be outbid at a late stage of the sale and chains can fall apart months into the process, causing huge frustration for buyers as well as being expensive.

From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026

If Mom knew Chicken was disappearing, she would fall apart.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn

Related Words

• break down
• collapse
• crumble