Implode
/ɪmˈploʊd/
verbC1
Definition
Implode means to break or collapse inward with great force, often suddenly and completely. It can describe physical things like buildings falling inward or abstract things like plans or systems failing quickly from inside.
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See It in Action
To collapse inward physically, often violently
- •The old building was set to implode to make room for new construction.
- •The pressure caused the metal tube to implode suddenly.
- •During demolition, engineers carefully plan how a structure will implode.
To fail or break down suddenly from within, often emotionally or organizationally
- •The company began to implode after the scandal was revealed.
- •His confidence started to implode under the pressure of the exam.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'implode' like 'break,' but instead of breaking apart outward, it breaks inward, like a balloon pushed inside itself.
- ✓Picture a tall building falling down but folding into itself, like a crumpled paper ball.
- ✓It's the feeling when something you expect to be strong suddenly falls apart from the inside, like a team suddenly losing all hope.
- ✓Sounds like 'im-PLODE' → Imagine a loud 'ploding' sound but going inward, not outward.
- ✓In movies, when a building implodes, it falls down neatly inside its own space, not spreading debris far outside.
- ✓NOT like 'explode' (which means to burst outward with force), implode means to collapse inward.
- ✓NOT like 'collapse' (which can mean falling down in any way), implode specifically means falling inward with strong force.
Try Other Words
- •Collapse: to fall down or break apart (Use when the direction of falling is not important)
- •Crumple: to crush or fold inward (Use when something bends or folds softly inward)
- •Cave in: to fall inward or give way (Use for roofs or walls falling inside)
- •Fall apart: to break into pieces (Use when something breaks completely but not necessarily inward)
Unboxing
- •Prefix 'im-' means 'in' or 'into'
- •Root 'plode' comes from Latin 'plaudere,' related to 'explode' meaning to burst
- •'Implode' literally means 'burst inward'
- •First used in English in the 20th century, often in science and engineering for controlled building demolition
- •Now used both for physical collapse and metaphorical failure or breakdown
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when a plan or idea you had seemed to implode? What caused it?
•How is the idea of imploding different from just failing or breaking? Why might this word feel stronger or more sudden?
Fill in the blanks
1.When the pressure inside the container grew too high, it caused the container to ___ suddenly from the inside.
2.The old stadium was carefully made to ___ so that debris would not spread far.
3.The team began to ___ after losing their best player, showing how fragile their confidence was.
4.Unlike an explosion, which sends pieces flying outward, an implosion pulls everything ___.
5.The roof started to ___ after heavy snow accumulated on top.
6.When his plans ___, he felt like everything he worked for was falling ___.
7.Engineers study how to control an ___ so buildings fall safely during demolition.