COLLAPSES Synonyms: 138 Similar and Opposite Words

collapses 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of collapse

as in tumbles

to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure the motel balcony collapsed under the weight of so many people

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as in fails

to be unsuccessful the legal case collapsed in the face of the opposition's evidence

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in compresses

to reduce in size or volume by or as if by pressing parts or members together the novel collapses events from four separate trips into one long odyssey

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collapses

2 of 2

noun

plural of collapse

as in defeats

a falling short of one's goals the complete collapse of the invasion set off a round of finger-pointing and recrimination

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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 collapses

Verb

Cincinnati respondents repeatedly pointed to Scott Satterfield, consecutive November collapses and the program’s inability to keep pace financially. — Manny Navarro, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Currency collapses, banking crises, and deep recessions struck the East Asian deficit countries, while the surplus countries bore few costs. — Michael Pettis, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026 When a shopping agent handles discovery, evaluation and checkout in a single conversation, the funnel collapses into one step. — Haozhuang Dai, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 If the merger collapses altogether, Paramount would instead be on the hook for a $7 billion termination fee to WBD. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026 Bear then passionately kisses Nikki, but soon collapses from the overdose and dies. — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026 When trust collapses, rumors spread faster than pathogens, vaccination campaigns falter and outbreaks grow. — Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 13 Aug. 2026 Hermione, overcome with grief from the sudden death of her other son, collapses and dies offstage. — Christopher Barnard, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026 Perhaps even Daeron, who in the book dies ignobly early in the battle, either by a random one of Addam’s soldiers or when his burning pavilion collapses on him. — James Grebey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026

Noun

In addition to regions in South Asia, experts said the Andes Mountains in South America stand out as at risk for similar events involving landslides and glacier collapses in the future. — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026 Gold mining expands despite safety risks Artisanal mine collapses are common in Central African Republic, where thousands of people work in small-scale mining, often with little protection. — Jean Fernand Koena, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 This is the vertical metal support needed as reinforcement against roof collapses during rollover. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 20 Aug. 2026 Now, after two losing campaigns, each with dramatic, eye-searing collapses, this year may be Norvell’s last. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026 The irishman discussed his disappointing season afterward, pointing to a pair of collapses to start his season and how that affected him. — Mike Fore, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Charted out, the twin collapses of the income and inheritance taxes look like a roller coaster careening downhill, picking up speed toward and through the twenty-first century. — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026 Many survivors have chosen to sleep outside to avoid the risk of further collapses, and some are seeking shelter in places like stadiums. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026 When a massive star collapses and explodes, neutrinos escape from its interior and can reach Earth before the burst of light becomes visible. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for collapses

Verb

From trashing bedrooms and throwing couches, the pair tumbles down stairs and has a chase across the lawn before ending up in the pool.

— Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
Front load washers are built with a horizontal drum that tumbles the clothes in each cycle.

— Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of tumbles

Verb

Like eyes, ears and lungs, a person can live a relatively normal and active life if one organ in the natural set fails.

— Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Aug. 2026
Kick the can If Congress fails to act, payments are expected to be 22% lower, which could be devastating for the millions of seniors who rely on their Social Security benefits to pay for basic necessities.

— Ashley Lopez, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of fails

Verb

Queues in the major markets run for years, new transmission runs longer, and no amount of capital compresses a utility approval process that was designed for a different century.

— Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Framed as an ensemble drama rather than the story of a single heroic whistleblower, the production compresses Ibsen’s plot, reimagines the ending and leans into satire without sacrificing moral bite.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of compresses

Noun

Mayer’s three professional defeats have now all come in England, following split-decision losses to Alycia Baumgardner in London in 2022 and Natasha Jonas in Liverpool in 2024.

— Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
This move follows recent court defeats for the department after rules to limit PSLF were struck down, raising concerns about the broader impact on public service workers.

— Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of defeats

Verb

Driving Experience The windscreen is brief to say the least, but airflow goes right over your head.

— William Roberson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
The movie goes big on the ‘80s tropes for laughs, including over-the-top costumes and era-specific references, but the love story at its heart is timeless.

— Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of goes

Verb

In Bait, Ahmed stars as struggling actor Shah Latif, who flops in his audition to play James Bond and then becomes consumed by the quest to become the first Pakistani 007.

— Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 21 Aug. 2026
Starter addition flops Last season’s trade deadline wound up being a big flop.

— Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of flops

Noun

Summary The Lindsay Clancy case, involving postpartum psychosis, highlights critical gaps in maternal health support and systemic failures.

— Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Fifty years on, these songs capture the feelings and failures not of Los Angeles but of America, too.

— Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of failures

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“Collapses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collapses. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of collapses

verb

noun

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