collapse

/kəˈlæps/
noun
  1. A sudden fall or cave-in of a structure.
    • Engineers are investigating the cause of the tunnel collapse.
    • The collapse of the roof trapped several workers inside.
    • The building was evacuated just minutes before its collapse.
  2. A sudden failure or breakdown of a system, organization, or plan.
    • The collapse of the stock market caused a global recession.
    • The government faced a collapse after the scandal.
    • The collapse of the negotiations led to renewed fighting.
  3. A sudden loss of physical strength or consciousness.
    • He had a collapse after working three days without sleep.
    • She suffered a collapse from exhaustion and was hospitalized.
    • The athlete's collapse on the field shocked the crowd.
verb
  1. To fall down or cave in suddenly, often because of weakness or damage.
    • The old bridge collapsed under the weight of the truck.
    • The chair collapsed when he sat on it because one leg was broken.
    • During the earthquake, several buildings collapsed.
  2. To fail or stop working suddenly and completely.
    • Their marriage collapsed under the pressure of constant arguments.
    • The company collapsed after losing its biggest client.
    • The peace talks collapsed when neither side would compromise.
  3. To fall down or lie down because of illness, exhaustion, or injury.
    • The patient collapsed in the hallway and was rushed to the emergency room.
    • After running the marathon, she collapsed at the finish line.
    • He collapsed from heatstroke during the hike.
  4. To fold or be able to be folded into a smaller, more compact shape.
    • The camping chair collapses easily for storage.
    • The umbrella collapses when you press the button.
    • This telescope collapses to fit inside a small bag.
Antonyms
What does "collapse" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean