come apart
phrasal verb.phrasal verb. to break into pieces or separate into different parts, usually because something is old or poorly made.
phrasal verb. to disintegrate or separate into constituent components; often used intransitively to describe physical failure or metaphorical collapse.
The old book is starting to come apart.
I washed my favorite sweater, but the seams started to come apart in the machine.
The coalition government began to come apart as internal disagreements over the new budget became public and irreconcilable.
- break
- separate
- disintegrate
- fall apart
- hold together
- stay intact
- Particles
- apart
- Separability
- inseparable
- Pattern
- come + apart
usually used as an intransitive verb, meaning it does not take a direct object.
contrast with 'fall apart', which is often more dramatic or emotional; 'come apart' is frequently used for physical objects like clothing or machinery.
The chair came it apart.The chair came apart.this phrasal verb is intransitive and cannot take an object between the verb and the particle.
Last updated April 24, 2026