collapse completely

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "collapse completely" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that fails or falls apart entirely. An example is: "The building began to collapse completely after the earthquake." Alternative expressions include "fall apart entirely" and "break down completely."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

The West needs to do a lot more if Ukraine's economy is not to collapse completely.

The Economist

The politician warned that trust in America's alliance with Germany could "collapse completely".

The Guardian

Some officials are warning that Britain's international rail-freight industry may collapse completely.

The New York Times - Magazine

Without them, the health and social care system would collapse completely.

The Guardian

First, if the proposal is thrown out, the ETS could collapse completely: ie, the carbon price could fall to zero.

The Economist

The question for Congress and the incoming Obama administration is whether to risk allowing the industry to collapse completely.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

23 human-written examples

Some communities that formed on random landscapes collapsed completely and never recovered, whereas complete system collapse never occurred on landscapes with a high degree of spatial contagion (clumped fractal).

Ecological Modelling

The building collapsed completely.

The New Yorker

And that's what happened, while Benfica collapsed completely".

Independent

After two years of confusion that system collapsed completely.

The Guardian - Business

The economy collapsed completely when struck by the regional financial crisis in 1997.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "collapse completely" when you want to emphasize that no part of a structure or system remains functional or intact. It is particularly effective in economic and scientific reporting to denote a point of no return.

Common error

While 'collapse' can imply a total failure on its own, adding 'completely' serves as a necessary intensifier in contexts where a partial collapse is also possible. Avoid using it alongside words like 'almost' or 'virtually' if your intention is to describe a finished state of total destruction.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "collapse completely" functions as a verb phrase where the intransitive verb 'collapse' is modified by the intensifier adverb 'completely'. In the sentences analyzed by Ludwig, it often appears in the future tense with modal verbs like 'could' or 'would' to predict catastrophic outcomes. It acts as a predicate that defines the state of a subject—be it a building, an economy, or a set of negotiations.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "collapse completely" is a robust and essential phrase for describing absolute failure across a variety of disciplines. Ludwig AI demonstrates that it is a preferred expression in authoritative journalism and scientific research when the goal is to emphasize that a system or structure has no remaining integrity. Whether used literally to describe the fall of a building or metaphorically for the breakdown of an economy, the phrase provides a clear, unmistakable signal of total ruin. Writers should use it when they need to distinguish a total loss from a partial failure, ensuring their audience understands the severity of the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fail entirely

Broadens the scope from physical collapse to general lack of success

collapse altogether

Uses a different adverbial intensifier to suggest the sum total of the failure

break down completely

Frequently applied to mechanical systems or psychological states

fall apart completely

Slightly more informal but describes the loss of cohesion effectively

disintegrate entirely

Emphasizes the loss of material or organizational structure

cave in completely

Often used for literal structures like roofs or metaphorical pressures

crumble entirely

Suggests a gradual process leading to a total loss of integrity

implode totally

Specifies that the collapse occurred inward due to internal pressure

crash completely

Specific to markets, computers or sudden high-velocity failures

dissolve completely

Focuses on the disappearance or melting away of a system or entity

FAQs

How do I use "collapse completely" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe total failure in various fields, such as: "The bridge was expected to "collapse completely" after the earthquake" or "Negotiations might "collapse completely" if no agreement is reached."

What is the difference between "collapse" and "collapse completely"?

While 'collapse' refers to the act of falling down or failing, adding 'completely' clarifies that the failure is total and absolute, leaving no part standing. If you want to emphasize the degree of destruction, you might use "fail entirely" instead.

What can I say instead of "collapse completely"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "break down completely" for systems, "fall apart completely" for objects, or "disintegrate entirely" for materials.

Is "collapse completely" grammatically correct?

Yes, it is a perfectly correct verb-adverb combination. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use in reputable sources like The New York Times and The Economist to describe absolute failure.