collapse

1.verbintransitiveB2

Definition

When a building, bridge, wall, or other structure falls down suddenly, usually because it cannot bear its own weight or because something hits it.

Example

The old warehouse collapsed during the heavy rainstorm, sending bricks everywhere.

intransitive: structure + verb of sudden falling

A small earthquake made the ceiling collapse onto the dining table below.

Common collocations

collapse under the weight
collapse in a heap
collapse onto

Synonyms

fall
more general; any downward movement, not necessarily with destruction
crumble
suggests breaking into small pieces, often gradually
give way
focuses on the point of failure under pressure

Antonyms

stand
remain upright and stable
hold
support weight without breaking

Usage Note

Intransitive only — you cannot 'collapse something' in this sense. The subject is typically a structure such as a building, bridge, wall, roof, or tunnel.

Common Mistakes

I collapsed the table by hitting it.' (meaning broke it).

I knocked the table over.

collapse in this sense is intransitive; use 'knock over' or 'break' for causing a structure to fall.

2.verbintransitiveB2

Definition

When a person or animal falls down suddenly because of illness, injury, extreme tiredness, or shock, and is often unable to get up.

Example

The nurse collapsed in the hospital hallway after working for two days straight.

intransitive: person + collapse + reason (after [activity])

Beatriz collapsed from heatstroke during the marathon and was rushed to a medic.

collocation: collapse from [cause: illness/heat/exhaustion]

Common collocations

collapse from exhaustion
collapse onto the floor
collapse in tears

Synonyms

faint
specifically losing consciousness; a narrower meaning
pass out
informal; losing consciousness suddenly
keel over
informal; to fall sideways suddenly

Antonyms

stand
remain upright on one's feet
stay conscious
remain awake and aware

Usage Note

Intransitive only. The subject is always a living being. Common adverbial modifiers: 'from' (cause), 'onto' (surface landed on), 'in/at' (location). Unlike faint, collapse does not necessarily imply loss of consciousness.

Common Mistakes

He collapsed the box because he was tired.' (wrong sense).

He collapsed from exhaustion.

for a person collapsing, do not use a direct object.

3.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1

Definition

To fold a chair, table, umbrella, or other object so that it takes up less room; or for such an object to be designed with this ability.

Example

The camping chairs collapse into a small bag that fits easily in the car.

intransitive: furniture + collapse + into [shape]

Ravi collapsed the stroller before getting onto the crowded city bus.

transitive: person + collapse + object

Common collocations

collapse a chair
collapse into a flat shape
collapse for storage

Synonyms

fold
more general; not specific to sudden or compact folding
fold up
phrasal verb with the same meaning, more informal
flatten
suggests making something completely flat

Antonyms

unfold
open or spread out to full size
open
spread out from a folded position

Grammar Patterns

collapse + object (transitive)

collapse + adverb (intransitive)

Usage Note

This is the only sense of collapse that can be used transitively (you can collapse something). In intransitive use, the subject is an object designed to fold: furniture, umbrellas, boxes, etc.

Common Mistakes

The table collapsed with a loud noise.' (heard as structure falling).

The table collapses for easy storage.

add context like 'for storage' or 'flat' to clarify you mean folding, not breaking.

4.verbintransitiveC2

Definition

When a person, company, system, or process suddenly stops working or functioning in a normal way, often with serious consequences.

Example

The travel company collapsed after running out of money during the slow season.

collocation: company / business + collapse (meaning go bankrupt)

The peace talks collapsed when neither side was willing to change their position.

collocation: talks / negotiations + collapse

Common collocations

the company collapsed
talks collapsed
the system collapsed

Synonyms

fail
more general; can be gradual or partial
break down
suggests a mechanical or functional failure
go under
informal; specifically for businesses going bankrupt

Antonyms

succeed
achieve the intended result
survive
continue to exist despite difficulties
thrive
grow or succeed strongly

Usage Note

Intransitive only. The subject can be concrete (a company, a government) or abstract (talks, a relationship, a plan). For people, this sense specifically means having a nervous breakdown or becoming unable to cope — distinct from sense 2 (physically falling down).

Common Mistakes

The bank collapsed my loan request.' (meaning rejected).

The bank collapsed during the recession.

collapse is intransitive; use 'reject' or 'decline' for refusal.

1.nounB2

Definition

The sudden breakdown or complete end of an institution, company, government, or established process, often causing serious problems.

Example

The collapse of the bank left thousands of people without their life savings.

collocation: the collapse of [institution]

Economists had warned about the collapse of the housing market for several years.

Common collocations

the collapse of
economic collapse
market collapse
financial collapse

Synonyms

failure
more general; can be partial or less dramatic
breakdown
often used for communication or mechanical failure
ruin
emphasizes complete destruction or loss of value

Antonyms

success
achieving the desired outcome
recovery
return to a normal or healthy state

Grammar Patterns

the collapse of [something]

Usage Note

Commonly followed by 'of' + noun phrase specifying what failed. Countable when referring to a single specific instance (a collapse of the banking system); uncountable when referring to the concept generally (the threat of economic collapse).

Common Mistakes

The building had a collapse.' (physical meaning mixes senses).

The financial system had a collapse.

noun sense 1 is for systems and organizations, not physical structures.

2.nounB1

Definition

The sudden act of someone or something physical falling from a standing or upright position, especially from weakness or outside force.

Example

The collapse of the old factory could be heard from over a mile away.

collocation: the collapse of [structure]

Doctors said her sudden collapse was caused by severe dehydration and low blood sugar.

collocation: sudden collapse (medical context)

Common collocations

the collapse of
sudden collapse
building collapse
structural collapse

Synonyms

fall
more general; any downward movement
cave-in
specifically when something falls inward
downfall
often metaphorical; decline from power or success

Antonyms

rise
movement upward from a lower position
recovery
return to an upright or stable state

Grammar Patterns

the collapse of [something]

Usage Note

Often preceded by 'the' + 'of' to specify what collapsed. Use 'sudden collapse' to emphasize unexpectedness. For people, this refers to the physical act of falling (not a mental breakdown — see verb sense 4 for that meaning).

Common Mistakes

There was a collapse of the company.' (system sense needed).

There was a collapse of the building.

use noun sense 1 for organizations, noun sense 2 for physical structures.

Word family

collapsible
adjectiveB2
collapsed
adjectiveB2
collapsing
adjectiveC1
collapsibility
nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Collapse, fall, crumble, give way, and cave in all describe a structure losing its position or shape. Fall is the most general word — anything that drops from a higher to a lower position can fall. Collapse emphasizes suddenness and total loss of structure: a building that collapses has fallen completely into a heap, usually with force. Crumble suggests gradual breaking into small pieces over time (an old stone wall crumbles after decades of weather). Give way focuses on a specific point of failure where the structure can no longer bear the load (the floor gave way under the heavy furniture). Cave in refers specifically to something falling inward, such as a roof or tunnel ceiling. You can say a roof either collapsed or caved in, but a wall that falls sideways has collapsed rather than caved in.

fall ↗crumble ↗give way ↗cave in ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

under the weight of
from exhaustion
into a heap
in the street

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Collapse comes from the Latin word 'collabi', which combines 'col-' (meaning 'together') and 'labi' (meaning 'to fall or slip'). So the original idea is 'to fall together'. It entered English through French in the 1700s, first used in medical contexts to describe a lung or blood vessel falling in on itself. By the 1800s it had broadened to describe buildings falling down, people fainting, and systems failing.

Entries near

Previous entries

Next entries

collapse

collapse — verb

1. When a building, bridge, wall, or other structure falls down suddenly, usually b

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. When a person or animal falls down suddenly because of illness, injury, extreme

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

3. To fold a chair, table, umbrella, or other object so that it takes up less room;

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

4. When a person, company, system, or process suddenly stops working or functioning

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

collapse — noun

1. The sudden breakdown or complete end of an institution, company, government, or

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. The sudden act of someone or something physical falling from a standing or uprig

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Entries near

Entries near