implode

IPA/ɪmˈpləʊd/
KK[ˌɪmplˈod]IPA/ɪmˈpləʊd/

implode — verb

  • implodepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • implodeshe / she / it
  • implodedpast simple
  • imploding-ing form

1. to fall violently toward the inside, typically because the external pressure is

1.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to fall violently toward the inside, typically because the external pressure is far greater than the internal pressure or because a structure's supports are removed

Example

The glass tank imploded when the air pressure inside dropped below the outside pressure.

implode + when a condition is met (pressure difference)

Deep-sea cargo containers sometimes implode from the enormous water pressure at that depth.

implode + from [cause]

Common collocations
  • implode from pressure
  • implode under stress
  • implode on itself
Synonyms
  • collapse

    more general — any falling down, not necessarily inward

  • cave in

    informal; describes the roof or sides falling inward

  • crumple

    suggests the material folds or wrinkles rather than bursting

Antonyms
  • explode

    burst outward with force rather than inward

Grammar Patterns

implode + from [cause]

implode + under [pressure]

[container/structure] + implode

Usage Note

This sense is almost always intransitive; the thing that collapses is the subject. The cause is commonly introduced by 'from' or 'under'. Controlled demolition uses explosives to make a building implode so it falls into its own footprint.

Common Mistakes

The bomb imploded the building.
The bomb made the building implode.
'implode' is intransitive in this sense; you cannot directly 'implode' something.
The glass exploded inward.
The glass imploded.
'implode' is the specific word for inward collapse; 'explode' means outward.

2. to fail or fall apart suddenly and completely, especially because of problems wi

2.verbintransitiveC1
Definition

to fail or fall apart suddenly and completely, especially because of problems within the person, group, or system itself — for example, a company running out of cash after its founders fight, or a relationship ending after trust is broken

Example

João's tech startup imploded after the main investor suddenly pulled out their funding.

implode after a trigger event

Tara watched her carefully-made plans implode when her business partner quit without warning.

Common collocations
  • implode from internal conflict
  • implode under pressure
  • implode on itself
  • empire implodes
  • company implodes
Synonyms
  • collapse

    more general; can be slow or sudden, internal or external

  • crumble

    suggests a gradual breaking apart rather than a single sudden event

  • self-destruct

    emphasizes that the failure comes from within, usually by choice or flaw

Antonyms
  • thrive

    to grow and succeed; the opposite of failing apart

  • flourish

    to prosper and expand, opposite of collapsing from within

Grammar Patterns

implode + from [internal cause]

implode + under [pressure/stress]

[organization/plan] + implode

Usage Note

The most common pattern for this sense is [organization/system/relationship] + implode + from/under [cause]. The cause is almost always internal — external forces may hurt a company, but 'implode' specifically suggests the damage came from within. Frequently used in news headlines about political and corporate collapses.

Common Mistakes

The recession imploded the company.
The company imploded during the recession.
'implode' is intransitive; external factors like a recession are the context, not the direct agent.
The project slowly imploded over several years.
The project imploded suddenly last quarter.
'implode' describes a sudden, dramatic collapse, not a gradual decline.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

These words all describe something breaking down, but they differ in speed and cause. 'Implode' (verb/2) describes a sudden and complete failure driven by internal problems — like a company destroyed by its own infighting. 'Collapse' is broader: a building can collapse from a bomb (external) or an economy can collapse slowly. 'Crumble' suggests a gradual process, piece by piece, rather than one dramatic event. 'Self-destruct' implies deliberate or programmed destruction, often of a person's own career or relationships. 'Fall apart' is the most general and informal — it can describe anything from a plan to a piece of furniture. For a sudden, internal meltdown, 'implode' is the most dramatic and precise choice: 'The marriage didn't slowly crumble — it imploded when the truth came out.'

collapse ↗crumble ↗self-destructfall apart ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • implode on itself
  • implode under the weight of

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

'Implode' was formed in the late 19th century by joining the Latin prefix 'in-' (into) with 'plaudere' (to clap or strike), modelled on the older word 'explode'. It was first used in phonetics to describe certain speech sounds, then extended to physical collapse (airtight containers, buildings) and later to emotional and organizational breakdowns.