has collapsed down

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has collapsed down" is not standard in written English and may be considered redundant.
You can use it when describing something that has fallen or failed, but it is better to choose a more concise expression. Example: "The building has collapsed down after the earthquake, leaving debris everywhere."

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Further, once the body has collapsed down to the point where its escape velocity is the speed of light, no physical force whatsoever could prevent the body from continuing to collapse down further – for this would be equivalent to accelerating something to speeds beyond that of light.

SEP

The generally excellent Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor rather falls flat when its content has collapsed down to mere trinket finding, as writer Yannick Le Jacq ​noted for Kotaku: "Why on earth am I playing a video game set in one of the most visually rich fantasy worlds, and collecting pieces of a basket?

Vice

The yeast clamp loader structure shows that the A subunit also forms an inverted U, although the A' domain has collapsed down onto the AAA+ module of the A subunit, and there is no contact between the A' domain and the clamp [ 59].

BMC Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Yulia A. Rusanova, an automotive industry analyst at Deutsche Bank in Moscow, said the problem was that Avtovaz's planning horizons had collapsed down to a matter of months.

The New York Times

Now that the ideological defense of Wall Street behavior has collapsed, brought down by the wreckage of deregulation, bankers and lobbyists are pursuing a new strategy: fighting the democratic process itself.

Huffington Post

In Devon a sea wall has collapsed, shutting down a vital railway link to the south-west.

The Economist

Industrial production has collapsed as fighting shut down mines and factories in the country's east.

The Economist

Whole districts are abandoned, public services have been shut down, employment has collapsed and the budget is crippled by Greek magnitudes of debt.

The Guardian

The number of giraffes on the African continent has collapsed to an estimated 97,500, down from 150,000 in 1985, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Huffington Post

But the Dynegy deal has collapsed, its main business has shut down, and Enron seems likely to file for bankruptcy.

Forbes

The main purpose of the hummingbird is to one day use it to rescue people in emergency situations (when a building has collapsed, for example) or to hunt down criminals.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using more concise alternatives like "has fallen" or "has crumbled" to avoid redundancy. While "has collapsed down" isn't incorrect, it can often be streamlined for clearer writing.

Common error

Avoid using "down" unnecessarily after verbs that already imply downward movement or failure. For example, instead of "the price has dropped down", simply write "the price has dropped".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has collapsed down" functions as a verb phrase indicating the action of something falling or failing. As noted by Ludwig, the phrase is not standard in written English and can often be considered redundant.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "has collapsed down" describes a state of failing or falling, but it's often considered redundant, as pointed out by Ludwig. While grammatically acceptable, more concise alternatives like "has fallen" or "has crumbled" are often preferred. Its usage spans across neutral contexts such as news and science, but leaning towards more formal alternatives is advisable for academic or professional writing. The contexts reveal it's used to describe diverse things, from car platforms to physical structures. Therefore, when writing, consider the context and choose the most concise and impactful phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has fallen down

A more direct and common synonym, focusing on the act of falling.

has fell down

Simply restates "collapsed" with a different tense of "fall", highlighting the action of falling.

has dropped down

Similar to "fallen", but with a sense of something being deliberately lowered or allowed to fall.

has disintegrated down

Uses a stronger verb, "disintegrated", implying a complete breakdown or destruction, slightly more intense than "collapsed".

has plummeted down

Replaces "collapsed" with "plummeted", indicating a rapid and steep fall, often used for prices or quantities.

has evaporated down

Employs "evaporated", suggesting a gradual disappearance or decline, differing from the more sudden image of "collapsed".

has disappeared down

Uses "disappeared", suggesting a vanishing or ceasing to exist, rather than a structural failure.

has decreased down

Employs "decreased", focusing on a reduction in quantity or value.

has split down

Replaces "collapsed" with "split", emphasizing a division or separation.

has bowed down

Uses "bowed", suggesting submission or yielding, a metaphorical collapse.

FAQs

How can I use "has collapsed down" in a sentence?

You can use "has collapsed down" to describe something that has fallen or failed, but consider if the "down" is necessary. For example: "The building "has collapsed down" after the earthquake, leaving debris everywhere."

What can I say instead of "has collapsed down"?

You can use alternatives like "has fallen", "has crumbled", or "has collapsed" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "has collapsed" or "has collapsed down"?

"Has collapsed" is generally preferred as it is more concise. The addition of "down" can be redundant as "collapse" already implies a downward movement.

Is "has collapsed down" grammatically incorrect?

While not strictly incorrect, "has collapsed down" is often considered redundant. The verb "collapse" inherently suggests a downward or inward falling, making the addition of "down" unnecessary.