collide

verb

col·​lide kə-ˈlīd How to pronounce collide (audio)
collided; colliding
Synonyms of collide

intransitive verb

1
: to come together with solid or direct impact
The car collided with a tree.
Two helicopters collided.
2
: clash
colliding cultures
Science and religion collided in the court.

Synonyms of collide

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Examples of collide in a Sentence

Two football players collided on the field. the candidate had a reputation as a maverick whose positions often collided with the party platform
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cesar Cedeno’s 200-foot fly ball in the fifth inning fell for an inside-the-park grand slam home run as second baseman Jim Lefebvre and right fielder Bill Buckner of the Dodgers collided. — Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 So Pioneer 11 pioneered the way through Saturn's outer rings, going where no spacecraft had gone before — and nearly colliding with a small moon along the way. — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Three cybersecurity worlds collide Nuclear facilities already operate under stringent cybersecurity expectations. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026 Ordone and her ex-husband Jaelen were both in the car with their son in April 2025 when their Ford F-150 veered off the road and collided with a tree, according to Louisiana State Police. — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for collide

Word History

Etymology

Latin collidere, from com- + laedere to injure by striking

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of collide was in 1646

Rhymes for collide

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Browse Nearby Words

colliculate
collide
collider
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Collide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collide. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

collide

verb
col·​lide kə-ˈlīd How to pronounce collide (audio)
collided; colliding
1
: to come together with solid impact
the football players collided
2
: clash entry 1 sense 2a
their different outlooks collided
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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