to fall apart

Examples

• All

• Democracies can fall apart and sometimes they do.

• At first, this argument seems to make sense, but it falls apart under a little scrutiny.

  Academic text (1996)

• And then then we see it could fall apart in months.

  Harvard University

• And things kind of fell apart for me around that time.

• And while that process was going on, the group fell apart on its own.

• Listen, we are too close to let this fall apart.

  The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997)

• This is our home, and I will not see it fall apart.

  EverAfter (1998)

• This building is falling apart.

  Dark Water (2005)

• Our world is falling apart.

  Deadly Harvest (1977)

• We can see evidence that society is falling apart throughout the world.

  Academic text (1993)

Synonyms

B

to break

vsto fall apart

∞ 1.0

To change a large bill into smaller bills

adds the idea of ceasing to work properly, not only force damage

C

to collapse

vsto fall apart

579 3.9

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

is used for both sudden failure and gradual breaking into pieces

B

to bust

vsto fall apart

• Informal

553 4.0

To break something so it does not work

is the standard neutral phrase for splitting into pieces or failing

F

to fail

vsto fall apart

370 2.2

Stop working properly, as a machine or part

adds the sense of physical splitting into parts beyond mere failure

B

to break down

vsto fall apart

194 3.2

To stop working because of a problem

also covers physical pieces falling apart, not only mechanical failure

C

to crumble

vsto fall apart

177 3.4

To break into small pieces or become weaker and collapse

can mean that but also simply stop working properly without crumbling

C

to crash

vsto fall apart

• Specialized

156 3.2

To stop working suddenly, especially for a computer or program

is wider, applying to objects breaking into pieces as well as failures

S

to shatter

vsto fall apart

72 2.8

To break suddenly into many small pieces, like glass

covers both sudden physical breaking and stopping to function gradually

B

to break up

vsto fall apart

66 2.7

Separate something into smaller pieces

can mean that or a thing stopping to function as a whole

C

to come apart

vsto fall apart

44 3.1

To break into pieces or fall into separate parts

also includes stopping working properly, not only physical splitting

F

to fragment

vsto fall apart

39 3.7

To break into small pieces or make something break apart

also applies to things failing to work, not only fragmenting

D

to disintegrate

vsto fall apart

35 5.8

Fall apart into smaller pieces or stop working together

is broader, including sudden failure or objects stopping working

G

to go bad

vsto fall apart

• US

33 3.5

Stop working and need repair

can also mean physical pieces separating rather than just failing to work

F

to fall in

vsto fall apart

30 4.4

To collapse inward, as a roof or organization breaking down

also applies to general breaking into pieces or stopping working properly

W

to wear out

vsto fall apart

26 2.3

To get damaged or stop working after long use

includes sudden splitting or immediate failure not only gradual wear

B

to break apart

vsto fall apart

26 3.0

To separate into pieces, for example a machine or a group

is focused more on objects stopping working or falling into pieces

C

to come undone

vsto fall apart

• Informal

9 5.3

To begin to fail, fall apart, or lose control

focuses specifically on objects stopping working or physically splitting

C

to come apart at the seams

vsto fall apart

• Informal

5 7.2

To fall apart or stop working properly after being stable

is more neutral and covers immediate breaking or stopping to function

B

to begin to crumble

vsto fall apart

4 4.0

Start to break into pieces or stop working well

may instead describe an immediate split or a device failing to work

F

to fragmentize

vsto fall apart

8.2

To break something into many small pieces

is broader, also covering failure to work rather than only fragmenting

F

to fall apart like a house of cards

vsto fall apart

• Informal

6.5

Suddenly fail completely because it is weak or badly built

is the general term for physical breaking or things stopping working

Antonyms

H

to hold together

90 3.4

Keep parts or people joined and working as one

I

intactness

1 6.1

The state of being whole and not damaged

How Damaged

to shatter

72 2.8

to fall apart

155 2.8

to break

∞ 1.0

to crack

311 1.0

to dent

27 2.2

to scratch

161 1.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology