collision course

NOUN

path leading to conflict

Synonyms

WEAK

clash conflict encounter

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Migrating gray whales and ships are on a collision course in the San Francisco Bay, with at least seven whales dead so far this year—many from vessels—after 21 fatalities in 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

"To avoid this collision course the government needs to step up and deliver the properly funded education system our children and young people deserve."

From BBC • May 9, 2026

Former OpenAI employees founded Anthropic in 2021 on the premise that AI development should prioritize safety -- a philosophy that now puts it on a collision course with the Pentagon and the White House.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

European and American mores on speech are on a collision course.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 21, 2026

LeMay’s view of the Cold War was driven by the assumption that the Soviet Union and the United States were on a collision course.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin