verb

zusammenbrechen

collapse

Definition & meaning

zusammenbrechen is a separable German verb meaning to collapse, to break down, or to fail.

Its meaning depends on the subject:

A person or structure collapses physically: to fall down or cave in.
Das Gebäude ist zusammengebrochen. — “The building collapsed.”
A person breaks down emotionally or physically: to lose control or become unable to continue.
Nach der Nachricht brach sie zusammen. — “She broke down after the news.”
A system, plan, or process fails: to stop functioning or fall apart.
Das System ist zusammengebrochen. — “The system collapsed.”

Grammar & Word origin

zusammenbrechen consists of zusammen (“together”) and brechen (“to break”). The image is of something breaking and falling together.

It is a separable, usually intransitive verb: in a main clause, the prefix moves to the end, as in bricht ... zusammen . Its simple past is brach zusammen, and its perfect tense is formed with sein: ist zusammengebrochen.

Synonyms & antonyms

Possible synonyms include:

kollabieren — “to collapse”; often used for a person, building, or system, and somewhat more formal or technical.
einstürzen — “to cave in” or “collapse”; mainly used for buildings and other structures.
scheitern — “to fail”; refers to a plan, attempt, or undertaking failing, rather than a physical collapse.
verzweifeln — “to despair”; describes intense emotional distress, but not necessarily a sudden breakdown.

Possible antonyms, depending on context:

stehen bleiben — “to remain standing”; the opposite of collapsing physically.
funktionieren — “to function”; the opposite of a system failing.
sich erholen — “to recover”; can contrast with a person breaking down.