to cave in

Examples

• All

• Under the stress of constant deadlines, she felt like her resolve might cave in soon.

• Apparently due to faulty engineering, the entire building flooded and half the ceiling caved in.

  Three Days of Rain (2002)

• Take them from the top, otherwise the whole thing will cave in on us.

  The Mummy (1999)

• "Hurry up before the whole thing caves in," he said.

  Fiction book (1997)

• Do you want the roof to cave in?

  Women Talking (2022)

• 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)

• As Ray came close, he could see that the house's bottom floor was caved in.

  Fiction book (1994)

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

  Fiction book (1998)

• The house looked as though at any moment it might cave in, suddenly and soundlessly.

  Fiction book (2002)

Synonyms

G

to give

vsto cave in

∞ 3.5

To stop being strong and bend or break under pressure

is the sudden total failure rather than general yielding or bending

C

to collapse

vsto cave in

579 3.9

To fall down suddenly, for example when a person faints or a building breaks

is the sudden failure that can be physical or metaphorical

C

to crumble

vsto cave in

177 3.4

To break into small pieces or become weaker and collapse

is sudden failure rather than a slow breakdown over time

C

to cave

vsto cave in

39 3.5

To collapse inward under pressure

is broader sudden failure not limited to inward yielding

I

to implode

vsto cave in

35 6.7

Collapse inward suddenly because of strong outside pressure

is general sudden failure without requiring an inward blast

G

to give way

vsto cave in

35 4.2

Break or fail because of pressure

is the sudden form of yielding that happens all at once

F

to fall in

vsto cave in

30 4.4

To collapse inward, as a roof or organization breaking down

is used more widely both for objects and abstract situations

C

to crumple

vsto cave in

22 3.9

Suddenly fall down because something is weak or hit hard

is sudden giving up or structural failure, not only physical dropping

F

to founder

vsto cave in

5 6.8

To fail completely because of problems with plans or projects

is sudden structural or personal failure, not only project failure

B

to begin to crumble

vsto cave in

4 4.0

Start to break into pieces or stop working well

is a sudden event, not an initial slow deterioration

F

to fall apart like a house of cards

vsto cave in

• Informal

6.5

Suddenly fail completely because it is weak or badly built

is sudden failure in many contexts, not only weak constructions

Antonyms

S

to stand

∞ 1.0

To be or put something in an upright position

P

to persevere

22 5.1

Keep trying to do something even when it is hard

How Complete

to implode

35 6.7

to cave in

22 3.7

to collapse

579 3.9

to give way

35 4.2

to sag

19 2.8

to crack

311 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology