Skip to main content
to implode

to implode

35 6.7
Collapse inward suddenly because of strong outside pressure
  • verb
  • /ɪmˈploʊd/
translation icon : implosionar
  • Oh my God, all the bond portfolios are going to implode, and that's going to cause a depression and the end of the world.

But now that these crypto prices are imploding, the whole bubble is collapsing.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • A huge glass display in the hallway implodes, drenching the place in flying glass.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • As they round a corner, the ceiling implodes right in front of them.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Their bodies will implode from the pressure, man.

  • You know those times when your world seems to implode from the inside out.

    Blog text (6)
  • And I know that right now might feel like your entire world is imploding or this is your world.

  • Everything I've built is about to implode.

  • Nations can be destroyed from the outside, by invasion and conquest, or they implode from within, by losing what makes them distinctive.

  • My kids are in a complete state of crisis and breakdown because their lives are now just imploding before their eyes.

  • With the town on edge already with high unemployment and poverty on the rise, some say it's only a matter of time before the city implodes.

  • The old building began to implode as the demolition crew applied pressure to its supports.

Synonyms

to collapse
vsto implode
579 3.9

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

is narrower, meaning a violent inward bursting caused by external pressure
to crush
vsto implode
401 1.6

To press something hard so it breaks or loses its shape

is an inward bursting action caused by surrounding pressure, not continuous squeezing
to crumble
vsto implode
177 3.4

To break into small pieces or become weaker and collapse

is more about a sudden inward burst rather than a slow loss of structure
to knock down
vsto implode
57 3.2

Make a building or wall fall down suddenly

is inward bursting due to surrounding pressure, not an external blast
to buckle
vsto implode
46 4.1

To bend and become damaged under strong pressure or heat

is a sudden inward burst caused by external pressure rather than simple bending
to come apart
vsto implode
44 3.1

To break into pieces or fall into separate parts

is an inward bursting event under pressure, not mere splitting or separation
to fall in
vsto implode
30 4.4

To collapse inward, as a roof or organization breaking down

is more violent, meaning a sudden inward bursting from external pressure
to break apart
vsto implode
26 3.0

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

is an inward, forceful bursting caused by external pressure, not simple splitting
to crumple
vsto implode
22 3.9

Suddenly fall down because something is weak or hit hard

is a forceful inward bursting rather than simple folding or giving way
to cave in
vsto implode
22 3.7

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

is more explosive inwardly, not merely yielding under pressure

Antonyms

579 2.8

To burst suddenly and violently, making a loud noise and flying pieces

How Violent

to implode
35 6.7
to cave in
22 3.7
to collapse
579 3.9
to crumple
29 3.4
to dent
27 2.2

Surface Forms

implode infinitive
imploded past
imploded past participle
imploding present participle
implodes third person singular

Morphology

implode = explode (transparent) = im + plode

Learners can infer 'implode' as the inward counterpart of 'explode' via the in-/ex- opposition, so the meaning is directly predictable from the recognizable base 'explode' and the prefix 'im-'.

Etymology

Implode comes from the prefix in- 'in' plus the same 'plode' part you see in explode, where ex- means 'out'. So, while explode bursts outward, implode means to collapse or burst inward under pressure.