implode C2+ Topic:Space, Position & Direction US /ɪmˈploʊd/ UK /ɪmˈpləʊd/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 verb to collapse violently inward; to break down catastrophically The abandoned building was set to implode in a controlled demolition. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to collapse violently... collapsecavecrumpledisintegratecrash ↔ Opposites explodeexpandburst Word family Derived forms imploderimploding Related forms implosionexplodeplaudit Etymology AI details Coined in the 19th century from in- ('inward') on the model of explode, the latter from Latin explodere ('to drive off by clapping'), from ex- + plaudere ('to clap'). plaudere Latin View etymology graph -> Topics Space, Position & Direction External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # implode **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** verb **IPA (US):** /ɪmˈploʊd/ **IPA (UK):** /ɪmˈpləʊd/ ## Meanings 1. to collapse violently inward; to break down catastrophically ## Examples - The abandoned building was set to implode in a controlled demolition. ## Synonyms - collapse - cave - crumple - disintegrate - crash ## Antonyms - explode - expand - burst ## Derived Forms - imploder - imploding ## Related Forms - implosion - explode - plaudit ## Roots and Affixes - Root: plaudere ## Etymology Coined in the 19th century from in- ('inward') on the model of explode, the latter from Latin explodere ('to drive off by clapping'), from ex- + plaudere ('to clap'). ## AI Etymology Implode is traced through this development: Coined in the 19th century from in- ('inward') on the model of explode, the latter from Latin explodere ('to drive off by clapping'), from ex- + plaudere ('to clap'). The prefix supplies the first semantic turn, while the base carries the lexical core of the word. As a verb, it means "to collapse violently inward; to break down catastrophically", so the modern sense keeps the older action or relation visible. Relevant historical forms include Latin plaudere. Derivative forms include imploder, imploding; related words include implosion, explode, plaudit. ## Topics - Space, Position & Direction markdown