systemic collapse

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "systemic collapse" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a failure or breakdown that affects an entire system, often in contexts such as economics, ecology, or social structures. Example: "The warning signs of systemic collapse were evident in the failing infrastructure and rising unemployment rates."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

Equally important is the identification of the system's structural features that might impede the risk of systemic collapse or endow a system with the ability to recover from a disturbance.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But one of the hardest-hit places was Iceland, the Nordic European country whose entire financial system went into a deep freeze after a rapid and systemic collapse of its banking system.

TechCrunch

Paul Myners agrees that they were now "very close" to "a series of dominoes falling" and "a systemic collapse of the banking system".

The Guardian

The current crisis, caused by a systemic collapse in the financial system and compounded by major economic imbalances between debtor and creditor countries, will change the world economy.

The Guardian - Opinion

In sum, it was to be intelligently pragmatic, in preventing acute systemic collapse and then returning the financial system, the political system, and the economy to their status quo.

The Guardian - Opinion

In early October 2008, the world's financial system was on the brink of systemic collapse.

The Guardian

The third volume describes the mistaken return to the gold standard after the war, and the systemic collapse of the global financial system which followed the crash of 1929 and led to the great depression.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

To stay afloat, we need rules tough enough to stop systemic risks becoming systemic collapses.

The Guardian - Opinion

Unmanageable climate change will precipitate systemic collapses, including of our food and water security.

The Guardian - Opinion

WASHINGTON -- Senate Banking Committee members from both parties said on Wednesday that they had agreed to include in their regulatory overhaul bill a new Office of Research and Analysis that would provide early warnings of possible systemic collapses.

The New York Times

Hence, the index dominance rendered the market prone so systemic collapses as in the case of the sub-prime crisis.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing complex issues like economic downturns or ecological disasters, use "systemic collapse" to highlight the interconnected nature of the breakdown. This emphasizes that the failure isn't isolated but affects the entire system.

Common error

Avoid using "systemic collapse" to describe minor or isolated incidents. The phrase implies a widespread and interconnected failure, so reserve it for situations where the entire system is significantly affected.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "systemic collapse" functions primarily as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. Ludwig confirms its correct usage across various contexts. It's used to describe a complete failure affecting an entire system.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "systemic collapse" is a commonly used noun phrase denoting the breakdown of an entire system, as validated by Ludwig. It's grammatically correct and frequently employed in formal contexts such as news reports, academic discussions, and business analyses to convey the gravity of a widespread failure. Alternatives include "system-wide failure" and "total system breakdown", but "systemic collapse" effectively emphasizes the interconnected nature of the breakdown. Use it judiciously to describe failures that genuinely affect the entire system rather than isolated incidents. In summary, "systemic collapse" serves as a potent term to communicate a comprehensive and interconnected failure across a system's many components.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

system-wide failure

Replaces "collapse" with "failure", emphasizing the lack of proper function across the entire system.

total system breakdown

Uses "breakdown" to denote a complete loss of functionality, adding emphasis with the word "total".

complete institutional failure

Substitutes "systemic" with "institutional" and "collapse" with "failure", focusing on the failure of institutions.

global system failure

Emphasizes the worldwide impact of the failure.

widespread breakdown

Replaces "systemic" with "widespread" to indicate a broad impact and "collapse" with "breakdown".

general systems malfunction

Uses "malfunction" to suggest a faulty operation across systems.

coordinated failure

Highlights that different parts fail together.

cascading failure

Indicates that one failure leads to others, causing a chain reaction.

structural disintegration

Focuses on the breakdown of the underlying structure of a system.

fundamental breakdown

Emphasizes the basic or essential nature of the failure.

FAQs

What does "systemic collapse" mean?

The term "systemic collapse" refers to the failure or breakdown of an entire system, such as a financial system, ecological system, or social structure, where the failure is interconnected and affects the whole rather than just isolated parts.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "systemic collapse"?

Use "systemic collapse" when you want to emphasize that a breakdown isn't isolated but rather involves interconnected failures across an entire system. This is particularly relevant in discussions about large-scale issues like economic crises or environmental disasters.

What are some alternatives to "systemic collapse"?

Alternatives include "system-wide failure", "total system breakdown", or "complete institutional failure". The best choice depends on the specific context and the aspect you want to emphasize.

How does "systemic collapse" differ from a regular failure?

"Systemic collapse" implies that the failure is not isolated but interconnected and affects the entire system. A regular failure might be a localized incident without widespread consequences, whereas a "systemic collapse" represents a comprehensive breakdown.