to cave

Examples

• All

• The greater part of the roof had caved in and lay on the floor of the second story.

  Fiction book (1998)

• As long as the tunnels haven't caved in, this thing has got to lead somewhere.

  Bigfoot Family (2020)

• But the minute we say I'm God, black hole, I now cave in on myself.

  Lex Fridman

• You feel good, all of a sudden, the pocket starts to cave in.

  American Underdog (2021)

• I can save the city... but this entire network of tunnels is going to cave in.

  Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (2025)

• The entire roof might cave in, and they would be buried alive.

  Fiction book (1993)

• Yes, yes, the floor may have caved in just slightly.

• In most places, it appeared that the entire ceiling had caved in and buried everything.

  Fiction book (1998)

• We're on a dark, crowded street lined by decrepit tenements that are caving in upon themselves.

  Fiction book (1993)

• As the storm intensified, I feared the roof might cave in under the pressure of the heavy rain and wind.

Synonyms

F

to fall in

vsto cave

30 4.4

To collapse inward, as a roof or organization breaking down

is about surfaces giving way under pressure rather than general breakdown

C

to cave in

vsto cave

22 3.7

Suddenly fall inward because its sides or top become weak, for example a tunnel

is a collapse under pressure that need not be sudden

Antonyms

S

to strengthen

327 3.0

To make muscles, relationships, or groups stronger

S

to support

240 1.0

Hold up something so it does not fall

Phrasal Verbs

C

to cave in

22 3.7

Suddenly fall inward because its sides or top become weak, for example a tunnel

C

to cave in

• Informal

21 4.8

Give in to pressure or strong requests after resisting

C

to cave to

• Informal

5 7.6

To give in to pressure or demands from others

Compounds

C

cave-in

9 7.1

A sudden collapse of the ground or a building into the space below

M

man cave

8 5.1

A room in a home where a man relaxes and enjoys hobbies

C

cave dweller

1 6.0

A person or animal that lives in a cave, often in ancient times

C

cave man

1 4.3

A very early person who lived in caves long ago

C

cave woman

1 6.7

A woman from long ago who lived in caves and used simple tools

C

cave bat

8.6

A small dull yellow-brown flying animal with large ears that lives in caves

C

cave dweller

7.4

A person who lives alone and avoids meeting other people

C

cave myotis

• Specialized

9.9

A small bat with large ears that lives in caves in the southwestern United States and Mexico

C

Cave of Adullam

• Literature

9.9

A safe place where people who are sad or in trouble meet and find support

F

Fingal's Cave

9.3

A large sea cave on the island of Staffa in Scotland with tall dark rock columns and strong echoes

M

Mammoth Cave National Park

3.6

A national park in Kentucky with a very large cave system and an underground river

W

Wind Cave National Park

5.2

A national park in South Dakota with limestone caves and bison herds

How Collapsed

to collapse

579 3.9

to cave

39 3.5

to buckle

46 4.1

to split

513 1.3

to crack

311 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology