BUCKLED Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

buckled

verb

past tense of buckle

as in collapsed

to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure the flimsy bridge buckled under the weight of the caravan of trucks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in devoted

to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention buckled himself down and finished the assignment in record time

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of buckled The Lorenzo can be worn two ways, with or without a fine leather strap threaded through the gold Eye of the Needle, which can be buckled across the foot to create a leg-lengthening effect. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026 The historic Long Beach boardwalk buckled after a barrage of storms over the last month. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 Barkov fell to the ice after a board battle with Sharks defenseman Darnell Nurse and forward Zack Ostapchuk as his left leg buckled. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026 The broad officer’s belt was buckled on one of the first holes. — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026 While the epicenter was located in Nantou County in central Taiwan, serious damage afflicted residents across the island as roads buckled, bridges collapsed and landslides destroyed everything in their path. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2026 Besides the threat from Iran, Jordan faces other challenges, such as an economy that has buckled under millions of refugees fleeing regional conflicts. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026 The term works best when the player on the move is important to their team, perhaps a fan favourite, but has buckled at the idea of joining (insert ‘bigger’ club). — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 Even the region's major interstate highway, I-70, was partly shut down after a section of it buckled under the weight of pounding rain. — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for buckled

Verb

Ryder’s Law was reintroduced this year after another carriage horse collapsed and died in Central Park, and in a separate incident, tourist Romanch Mahajan, 18, died after falling off a carriage after the operator lost control.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
In Peru, the world’s largest catcher of anchovies, the fishing industry collapsed after the tiny baitfish abandoned the country’s waters for cooler northern climes.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of collapsed

Verb

Homeland Security devoted $20 million to the campaign, which critics say promotes Trump’s political message rather than helping the public access government services.

— Gene Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Reactions, however, ranged from pure fascination and respect for his 12-year project to critics questioning whether Tomlin, who parted ways with the Steelers in January of this year, had devoted too much time to his virtual city.

— Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of devoted

Verb

Fundora found room for uppercuts inside and applied pressure through the middle rounds before delivering the decisive left in the final second.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
It must now be applied to those making products that could shape the future of humanity itself.

— Giorgos Tsetis, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of applied

Verb

Fox Factory — The vehicle suspension maker tumbled 9% after CEO Mike Dennison stepped down from his role.

— Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Justin Jefferson somehow separated enough from the triple coverage that converged at the apex of his route, leaped to snag the ball with both hands, tapped both feet on the turf, and tumbled backward to put the Vikings in front.

— CBS News, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of tumbled

Verb

Rocket Lab was supposed to have a satellite on standby to go up and inspect True Anomaly’s spacecraft, ready to launch on short notice once military officials gave the order.

— Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026
Additionally, prosecutors allege Rincker gave Alvarez a 12-gauge pump action shotgun, Jamioles said.

— Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 23 June 2026

Definition of gave

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buckle

buckled

buckled (down)

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“Buckled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buckled. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of buckled

verb

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