Meanings
verbcollapse (third-person singular simple present collapses, present participle collapsing, simple past and past participle collapsed)
present singular third person collapses · participle present collapsing · participle past collapsed · past collapsed
- intransitiveTo cease to function due to a sudden breakdown; to fail suddenly and completely.
Pyramid schemes tend to generate profits for a while and then collapse.
1 more example
However much we like to think of ourselves as something special in world history, in fact industrial societies are subject to the same principles that caused earlier societies to collapse.
1988, Joseph Tainter, “Summary and Implications”, in The Collapse of Complex Societies, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 216Synonyms: slump
- transitivecomputingIn a hierarchical list (such as a directory tree or table of contents), to hide the subentries of (an entry).
Antonyms: expand
- intransitiveball gamesTo suffer a batting collapse.
Immediately after his wicket the team collapsed for 69.
- transitiveTo cause something to collapse.
Hurry up and collapse the tent so we can get moving.
1 more example
Thomas added: "We presented our experiences of frantically trying to collapse a pram, surrounded by loads of grumpy commuters.
2023 August 9, Paul Clifton, “Network News: Family-friendly travel: new standard covers pushchairs”, in RAIL, number 989, page 26
nouncollapse (countable and uncountable, plural collapses)
plural collapses
- countableuncountableThe act of collapsing.
in a state of nervous collapse
3 more examples
She suffered a terrible collapse after slipping on the wet floor.
The top six are assured of continental competition and after making a statement of intent against Stoke, it would take a dramatic collapse for Newcastle to surrender their place.
2012 April 21, Jonathan Jurejko, “Newcastle 3-0 Stoke”, in BBC SportHowever the collapse in demand for rail and air travel caused by the pandemic has had a knock-on effect for the project's funding.
2021 May 5, Paul Clifton, “Network News: Heathrow Western Rail Access scheme 'on hold'”, in RAIL, number 930, page 26 - countableuncountableConstant function, one-valued function (in automata theory) (in particular application causing a reset).
- abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableball gamesEllipsis of batting collapse.
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo cease to function due to a sudden breakdown; to fail suddenly and completely.
Similar
verbTo fold compactly.
Similar
verbIn a hierarchical list (such as a directory tree or table of contents), to hide the subentries of (an entry).
Opposite
verbTo pass out and fall to the floor or ground, as from exhaustion or other illness; to faint.
Similar
More synonyms by meaning
nounan abrupt failure of function or complete physical exhaustion
Similar
Broader
nouna sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures)
Similar
Broader
verbbreak down, literally or metaphorically
Broader
verbcollapse due to fatigue, an illness, or a sudden attack
Similar
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latincollāpsus
- Englishcollapse
From Latin collāpsus (past participle of collābor).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic اِنْهَار, اِنْهِيَار
- اِنْهَار (inhār)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- اِنْهِيَار (inhiyār)act of collapsing
Bulgarian срутвам се, сгъвам
- срутвам се (srutvam se)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- сгъвам (sgăvam)to fold compactly
- срутвам (srutvam)to cause to collapse
- припадам (pripadam)to pass out and fall to the floor or ground
- сру́тване (srútvane)act of collapsing
- ко́лапс (kólaps)act of collapsing
Catalan enfonsar-se, derruir-se
- enfonsar-seto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- derruir-seto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- ensorrar-seto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- col·lapsarto cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- plegarto fold compactly
- plegarcomputing: to hide additional directory (folder) levels
- ensorrarto cause to collapse
- fer ensorrar-seto cause to collapse
- col·lapsar-seto pass out and fall to the floor or ground
- col·lapseact of collapsing
Chinese Mandarin 倒坍, 崩潰 /崩溃
- 倒坍 (dǎotān)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- 崩潰 /崩溃 (bēngkuì)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- 崩落 (bēngluò)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- 虛脫 /虚脱 (xūtuō)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- 收起 (shōuqǐ)computing: to hide additional directory (folder) levels
- 坍塌 (tāntā)act of collapsing
- 崩潰 /崩溃 (bēngkuì)act of collapsing
Czech spadnout, zhroutit se
- spadnoutto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- zhroutit seto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- zhrouceníact of collapsing
- kolapsact of collapsing
- krachact of collapsing
Danish kollaps
- kollapsact of collapsing
Dutch instorten, instorten
- instortento fall down suddenly; to cave in
- instortento cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- slopento cause to collapse
- ineenstortingact of collapsing
- instortenact of collapsing
- collapsact of collapsing
Esperanto kolapsi, kolapsi
- kolapsito fall down suddenly; to cave in
- kolapsito pass out and fall to the floor or ground
Finnish sortua, romahtaa
- sortuato fall down suddenly; to cave in
- romahtaato fall down suddenly; to cave in
- luhistuato fall down suddenly; to cave in
- lyyhistyäto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- painua kokoonto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- romahtaato cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- taittaa kokoonto fold compactly
- painaa kokoonto fold compactly
- romahduttaato fold compactly
- saada romahtamaanto fold compactly
- romauttaato cause to collapse
- romahduttaato cause to collapse
- romahdusact of collapsing
- sortuminenact of collapsing
- luhistuminenact of collapsing
- kollapsiact of collapsing
French s'effondrer, s'effondrer
- s'effondrerto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- s'effondrerto cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- effondrementact of collapsing
- collapseact of collapsing
German einstürzen, kollabieren
- einstürzento fall down suddenly; to cave in
- kollabierento fall down suddenly; to cave in
- zusammenfallento fall down suddenly; to cave in
- zusammenbrechento cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- kollabierento cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- einfallento fold compactly
- einsacken lassento cause to collapse
- zusammenfallen lassento cause to collapse
- zusammensinken lassento cause to collapse
- zusammenfaltento cause to collapse
- zusammenlegento cause to collapse
- ohnmächtig niedersinkento pass out and fall to the floor or ground
- Kollapsact of collapsing
- Zusammenbruchact of collapsing
Greek καταρρέω, καταπίπτω
- καταρρέω (katarréo)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- καταπίπτω (katapípto)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- σωριάζομαι (soriázomai)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- καταρρέω (katarréo)to cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- διπλώνω (diplóno)to fold compactly
- αποσυνθέτω (aposynthéto)to cause to collapse
- σπάω (spáo)to cause to collapse
- λύνω (lýno)to cause to collapse
- κατάρρευση (katárrefsi)act of collapsing
- λιποθυμία (lipothymía)act of collapsing
Hebrew התמוטט, קרס
- התמוטט (hitmotét)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- קרס (karás)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- התקפל (hitkapél)to fold compactly
- קיפל (kipél)computing: to hide additional directory (folder) levels
- מוטט (motét)to cause to collapse
- התמוטט (hitmotét)to pass out and fall to the floor or ground
- הִתְמוֹטְטוּת (hitmotetut)act of collapsing
- קְרִיסָה (krisa)act of collapsing
Hindi गिरना
- गिरना (girnā)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
Hungarian összeomlik, beomlik
- összeomlikto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- beomlikto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- bedőlto cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- csődöt mondto cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- kudarcba fulladto cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- összecsukódikto fold compactly
- can be folded) összecsukhatóto fold compactly
- összehajthatóto fold compactly
- összetolhatóto fold compactly
- bezárcomputing: to hide additional directory (folder) levels
- becsukcomputing: to hide additional directory (folder) levels
- összecsukcomputing: to hide additional directory (folder) levels
Irish cliseadh
- cliseadhact of collapsing
Italian collassare, crollare
- collassareto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- crollareto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- accasciarsito fall down suddenly; to cave in
- collassareto cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- bloccarsito cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- arrestarsito cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- collassareto fold compactly
- crollareto fold compactly
- collassoact of collapsing
- crolloact of collapsing
- tracolloact of collapsing
- funzione costanteone-valued function
- collassoone-valued function
Japanese 潰える, 崩壊する
- 潰える (tsuieru)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- 崩壊する (hōkai suru)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- 崩壊 (hōkai)act of collapsing
Korean 무너지다, 붕괴
- 무너지다 (muneojida)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- 붕괴 (bunggoe)act of collapsing
Latin ruō, prōlābor
- ruōto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- prōlāborto pass out and fall to the floor or ground
- decidoto pass out and fall to the floor or ground
- lābēsact of collapsing
- ruīnaact of collapsing
Lithuanian grūtis
- grūtisact of collapsing
Malay rebah, runtuh
- rebahto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- runtuhto fall down suddenly; to cave in
Māori ngaeki, tanuku
- ngaekito fall down suddenly; to cave in
- tanukuto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- tūrakito fall down suddenly; to cave in
- whakakopato fold compactly
- whakatiangocomputing: to hide additional directory (folder) levels
- whakahoroto cause to collapse
- tūrakito cause to collapse
- tukitukito cause to collapse
- porowhāto pass out and fall to the floor or ground
- hingato pass out and fall to the floor or ground
- tūrakitangaact of collapsing
Norwegian Bokmål kollaps
- kollapsact of collapsing
Persian فرو ربختن, رمبیدن
- فرو ربختن (foru-rixtan)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- رمبیدن (rombidan)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
Polish bachnąć, runąć
- bachnąćto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- runąćto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- zapaśćact of collapsing
- krachact of collapsing
- kolapsact of collapsing
Portuguese desabar, ruir
- desabarto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- ruirto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- desmoronarto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- colapsar-seto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- contrairto fold compactly
- colapsarto cause to collapse
- desabamentoact of collapsing
- desmoronamentoact of collapsing
- colapsoact of collapsing
Romanian prăbuși, prăbuși
- prăbușito fall down suddenly; to cave in
- prăbușito cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- colapsact of collapsing
- cădereact of collapsing
Russian разруша́ться, разру́шиться
- разруша́ться (razrušátʹsja)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- разру́шиться (razrúšitʹsja)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- обва́ливаться (obválivatʹsja)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- обвали́ться (obvalítʹsja)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- оседа́ть (osedátʹ)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- осе́сть (oséstʹ)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- скла́дываться (skládyvatʹsja)to fold compactly
- сложи́ться (složítʹsja)to fold compactly
- свора́чиваться (svoráčivatʹsja)to fold compactly
- сверну́ться (svernútʹsja)to fold compactly
- скла́дывать (skládyvatʹ)to cause to collapse
- сложи́ть (složítʹ)to cause to collapse
- обва́л (obvál)act of collapsing
- прова́л (provál)act of collapsing
- колла́пс (kolláps)act of collapsing
- круше́ние (krušénije)act of collapsing
- крах (krax)act of collapsing
Slovak zrútenie, kolaps
- zrútenieact of collapsing
- kolapsact of collapsing
- krachact of collapsing
Spanish derrumbarse, desplomarse
- derrumbarseto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- desplomarseto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- colapsar[se]to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- derrumbarseto cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- desplomarseto cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- colapsarto fold compactly
- colapsarto cause to collapse
- colapsoact of collapsing
- desplomeact of collapsing
- derrumbamientoact of collapsing
Swedish kollapsa, krascha
- kollapsato fall down suddenly; to cave in
- kraschato cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- kollapsato pass out and fall to the floor or ground
- kollapsact of collapsing
Thai พัง, ถล่ม
- พัง (pang)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- ถล่ม (tà-lòm)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- พัง (pang)to cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
- ล้ม (lóm)to pass out and fall to the floor or ground
Turkish çökmek
- çökmekto fall down suddenly; to cave in
Ukrainian обва́люватися, обвали́тися
- обва́люватися (obváljuvatysja)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- обвали́тися (obvalýtysja)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- розва́люватися (rozváljuvatysja)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- розвали́тися (rozvalýtysja)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- руйнува́тися (rujnuvátysja)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- зруйнува́тися (zrujnuvátysja)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- вали́тися (valýtysja)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- розпада́тися (rozpadátysja)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- розпа́стися (rozpástysja)to fall down suddenly; to cave in
- кола́пс (koláps)act of collapsing
- крах (krax)act of collapsing
- обва́л (obvál)act of collapsing
Vietnamese đổ, sập
- đổto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- sậpto fall down suddenly; to cave in
- sụp đổto cease to function due to a sudden breakdown
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with collapse
All rhymes →Sounds the same
claps (monosyllabic)claps (monosyllabic)
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
collapse. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/collapse
MLA
“collapse.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/collapse. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “collapse,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/collapse.
Source: collapse on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.