# collapse

/kəˈɫæps/ (US) · /kəlˈæps/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/collapse
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to fall down

verb · CEFR B2

to fall down suddenly because of a lack of strength or support.

For teachers: to fall down or cave in suddenly due to structural failure or lack of support.

- The old wooden bridge collapsed after the heavy rain flooded the river.
- The abandoned warehouse finally collapsed under the weight of the winter snow, leaving nothing but a pile of twisted metal and broken bricks.

Usage: Often used with 'under' to describe the cause of the failure.

### 2. to fail or break down

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to stop working or fail completely and suddenly.

For teachers: to cease to function or lose all value due to a sudden breakdown or failure.

- The peace talks collapsed when neither side could agree on the new borders.
- Economists warned that the national currency might collapse if the government failed to address the rising inflation rates.

Teaching tip: Commonly used in business and political contexts to describe systems or negotiations.

### 3. to faint

verb · CEFR B2

to fall down because you are very sick, tired, or hurt.

For teachers: to fall down suddenly as a result of a physical health crisis, exhaustion, or loss of consciousness.

- The runner collapsed just as she crossed the finish line of the marathon.
- He collapsed from heat exhaustion after working in the fields for ten hours without a break.

Usage: Intransitive; does not take a direct object.

### 4. to hide data

verb · CEFR B2 · Technical

to hide a list of items on a computer screen to save space.

For teachers: to hide the subentries of a hierarchical list or directory tree in a user interface.

- You can collapse the folder to see more files on your screen.
- The developer added a button to collapse all nested comments, making the long thread much easier for users to navigate.

Usage: Transitive; takes the name of the list or folder as an object.

### 5. to fold

verb · CEFR B2

to fold something so that it becomes small and easy to carry.

For teachers: to fold into a more compact shape for storage or transport.

- This camping chair is great because it collapses and fits into a small bag.
- The stroller features a lightweight frame that collapses with one hand, making it ideal for parents using public transport.

### 6. a sudden failure

noun · CEFR B2

a sudden event where something falls down or fails completely.

For teachers: a sudden failure of an institution, system, or physical structure.

- The collapse of the stock market caused many people to lose their savings.
- The sudden collapse of the building led to a massive investigation into the quality of the construction materials used.

Usage: Often followed by 'of' plus a noun phrase.

## Examples

- The old building's collapse caused a lot of dust.
- The sudden collapse of the banking system led to a nationwide financial crisis that lasted for several years.
- Historians still debate whether the collapse of the empire was a singular catastrophic event or the culmination of centuries of gradual institutional decay and external pressure.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.