Meaning & use

collapse

verb·Academic

To fall down or give way suddenly, or to fail or break down completely.

See it in a sentence

The old bridge collapsed under the weight of the flooding river.

The negotiations collapsed after both sides refused to compromise.

A note on using this word

Collapse can describe a physical structure, a person fainting, or an abstract system like an economy failing suddenly.

Words with a similar meaning

crumblefail

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

standendure

Make it your own

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