| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | fall apart; reduce to pieces |
| Synonyms: | atomize, break apart, break down, break up, come apart, crumble, decay, decline, decompose, degenerate, deliquesce, descend, detach, dilapidate, disband, disconnect, disimprove, dismantle, disorganize, disperse, disunite, divide, fade away, fall to pieces, molder, pulverize, putrefy, rot, separate, sever, shatter, sink, splinter, spoil, taint, take apart, turn, turn to dust, wash away, wash out, wither, worsen |
| Antonyms: | combine, meld, unite |
| Main Entry: | break |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | destroy; make whole into pieces |
| Synonyms: | annihilate, batter, burst, bust, bust up, crack, crash, crush, damage, demolish, disintegrate, divide, eradicate, finish off, fracture, fragment, make hash of, make mincemeat of, part, pull to pieces, rend, separate, sever, shatter, shiver, smash, snap, splinter, split, tear, torpedo, total, trash* |
| Notes: | to brake is to slow or stop while break is to cause to separate into pieces suddenly or violently, smash or crack |
| Antonyms: | attach, fasten, fix, join, mend, put together, secure |
| Main Entry: | burst |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | blow up, break out |
| Synonyms: | barge, blow, break, crack, detonate, discharge, disintegrate, erupt, explode, fly open, fracture, fragment, gush forth, perforate, pierce, pop, prick, puncture, rend asunder, run, rupture, rush, shatter, shiver, splinter, split, spout, tear apart |
| Main Entry: | collapse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | fall apart, break down |
| Synonyms: | belly up, bend, break, cave in, conk out, crack up, crumple, deflate, disintegrate, droop, drop, exhaust, fail, faint, fall down, flag, flake out, fold, founder, give, give in, give out, give way, go to pieces, go*, keel over, languish, shatter, subside, succumb, tire, topple, weaken, weary, wilt, yield |
| Antonyms: | build, increase, rise |
| Main Entry: | come unglued |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | lose one's cool |
| Synonyms: | break down, come apart at the seams, come apart at the seams, come unstuck, come unwrapped, disintegrate, fall apart, fall to bits, fall to bits, fall to pieces, fall to pieces, go to pieces, malfunction |
| Main Entry: | crash |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | break into pieces |
| Synonyms: | bang into, crack up, crunch, dash, disintegrate, fracture, fragment, pile up, shatter, shiver, sideswipe, smash, smash up, splinter, total*, wrack up |
| Main Entry: | crumble |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | break or fall into pieces |
| Synonyms: | break up, collapse, crumb, crush, decay, decompose, degenerate, deteriorate, disintegrate, dissolve, fragment, go to pieces, granulate, grind, molder, perish, powder, pulverize, putrefy, triturate, tumble |
| Antonyms: | build, put together |
| Main Entry: | damage |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | cause injury, loss |
| Synonyms: | abuse, bang up, batter, bleach, blight, break, burn, contaminate, corrode, corrupt, crack, cripple, deface, defile, dirty, discolor, disfigure, disintegrate, dismantle, fade, gnaw, harm, hurt, impair, incapacitate, infect, injure, lacerate, maim, maltreat, mangle, mar, mutilate, pollute, ravage, rot, ruin, rust, scathe, scorch, scratch, smash, split, spoil, stab, stain, tamper with, tarnish, tear, undermine, vitiate, weaken, wear away, wound, wreak havoc on, wreck, wrong |
| Antonyms: | benefit, bless, enhance, favor, fix, improve, mend, perfect, repair |
| Main Entry: | decay |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | deteriorate, crumble |
| Synonyms: | atrophy, be impaired, become contaminated, blight, break up, collapse, corrode, curdle, decline, decompose, defile, degenerate, depreciate, discolor, disintegrate, dissolve, dry-rot, dwindle, fade, fail, get worse, go bad, go to seed, go to the dogs, hit rock bottom, hit the skids, lessen, mildew, mold, molder, mortify, pejorate, perish, pollute, putrefy, putresce, reach depths, rot, sap, shrivel, sicken, sink, slump, spoil, suppurate, turn, wane, waste away, weaken, wear away, wither |
| Antonyms: | build, develop, flourish, germinate, grow, improve, ripen, strengthen |