verb

crollare

collapse

Cadere o andare giù improvvisamente, spesso per perdita di forza o stabilità.

Definition & meaning

Crollare means to collapse, crumble, or fall down, either literally or figuratively.

A building or structure can collapse.
A person can collapse physically, from exhaustion or illness, or emotionally, under pressure.
Prices, sales, or confidence can plummet or collapse.
A plan, belief, or hope can fall apart.

Grammar & Word origin

Crollare is a regular first-conjugation verb ending in -are. It is usually intransitive and forms compound tenses with essere : è crollato means “it collapsed.”

It derives from a word meaning “to shake” or “to sway,” an older sense that survives in some expressions.

Synonyms & antonyms

cadere — “to fall”; broader and does not necessarily imply collapse.
crollarsi — not a usual synonym; for a person collapsing, svenire means specifically “to faint.”
diminuire — “to decrease”; less dramatic than a sudden plunge.
reggere — “to hold up” or “withstand”; an opposite when a structure or person does not collapse.
aumentare — “to increase”; an opposite when referring to prices or figures.

Common phrases & collocations

crollare dal sonno — to be exhausted and fall asleep.
crollare sotto il peso — to collapse under the weight.
crollare a pezzi — to fall to pieces.
crollare la testa — an older or literary expression meaning “to shake one’s head.”