collapsed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "collapsed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that has fallen down or failed, often suddenly or completely. Example: "The old building collapsed during the storm, leaving debris scattered everywhere."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Business

Sport

Lifestyle

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The SNP came fourth in Edinburgh South in the 2010 general election but is now a serious challenge to sitting Labour MP and shadow business manager Ian Murray after the Liberal Democrat vote collapsed.

The Guardian

Speaking to journalists on his arrival at Vienna airport on Tuesday, Mohammad Javad Zarif said that after nine months of increasingly intense negotiations an agreement was still possible, but Tehran would not be to blame if the talks collapsed.

The Guardian

When a child dies of neglect or abuse, the local authority is accused of incompetence and negligence; if there is an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, claims about inadequate precautions are heard; former employees of companies which have collapsed during the recession demand to know why more has not been done to save their jobs.

The Guardian - Opinion

Back in 1945 as Germany collapsed to defeat, Fritz Walter and his airforce base surrendered to the Americans.

The Guardian - Sport

Blockbuster has roughly 3,500 remaining stores in the US, making it the country's last major DVD franchise – the rival chain Hollywood Video collapsed earlier this year.

The Guardian - Business

Although the control tower collapsed last week and the terminals and runways have been severely damaged by shelling, the airport holds great symbolic and strategic importance for both sides.

The Guardian

When she saw what had happened, Martin's wife collapsed into crying.

The Guardian

The glass could have been lost forever if the great south window, which has held it for the past three centuries, had collapsed.

The Guardian

Skip McGee – who received £8.8m of shares in March – was the most senior banker remaining from Barclays' takeover of the Wall Street operations of Lehman Brothers when the latter collapsed in September 2008.

The Guardian - Business

Public mistrust of government is high in Britain, and deference to the political elite has also collapsed as economic woes erode living standards.

The Guardian

The prosecution of a Swedish national accused of terrorist activities in Syria has collapsed at the Old Bailey after it became clear Britain's security and intelligence agencies would have been deeply embarrassed had a trial gone ahead, the Guardian can reveal.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "collapsed", ensure the context clearly indicates what has fallen or failed. For structures, it implies a physical breakdown; for systems or agreements, it suggests failure.

Common error

Avoid using "collapsed" when describing minor setbacks or temporary issues. Reserve it for situations involving significant or complete failure to maintain clarity and impact.

Linguistic Context

Collapsed primarily functions as the past tense and past participle of the verb "collapse". It describes a completed action of falling down, failing, or losing effectiveness. Ludwig AI confirms this through numerous examples where "collapsed" indicates a past event.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

15%

Sport

10%

Less common in

Lifestyle

5%

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "collapsed" functions as the past tense of the verb "collapse", indicating a completed action of falling down or failing. Ludwig AI analysis shows its frequent use across various domains, particularly in News & Media, Formal & Business, and Sports contexts. The phrase is grammatically sound and conveys a sense of finality. While interchangeable alternatives like "fallen down" or "caved in" exist, "collapsed" provides a direct and impactful way to describe events involving structural or systemic failure. Writing guidance emphasizes using "collapsed" judiciously, reserving it for situations of significant failure to maintain clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fallen down

Focuses on the physical act of falling to the ground.

caved in

Implies a yielding under pressure, often inward.

broken down

Suggests a failure of a system or structure.

crumbled

Indicates a gradual disintegration or decay.

failed

A general term indicating a lack of success or effectiveness.

imploded

Suggests a sudden and violent inward collapse.

succumbed

Implies yielding to pressure or force.

deteriorated

Indicates a gradual decline in quality or condition.

gave way

Suggests a sudden yielding or breaking.

disintegrated

Implies a complete breakdown into smaller parts.

FAQs

How is "collapsed" used in a sentence?

"Collapsed" is the past tense of the verb "collapse", meaning to fall down or give way. For example, "The old bridge "collapsed" during the storm."

What are some synonyms for "collapsed"?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "collapsed" include "caved in", "fallen down", "failed", or "crumbled".

Which is correct, "the building collapsed" or "the building was collapsed"?

"The building "collapsed"" is the correct active voice construction. "The building was collapsed" is passive and less common.

What's the difference between "collapsed" and "deteriorated"?

"Collapsed" implies a sudden and complete failure, whereas "deteriorated" suggests a gradual decline. A building collapses suddenly, but its structure might deteriorate over time.