Standard Lemma guide

implode

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 M P L OW1 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To collapse or burst inward violently.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • The submarine imploded as it sank below its crush depth.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: explode

2

verb

Meaning 2

To collapse or burst inward violently.

To suddenly lose support in all areas of a campaign simultaneously.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, intransitive

Topics: government, politics

Examples

  • Ragusa's campaign imploded after she confused coal mining with oil drilling during a speech.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: explode

3

verb

Meaning 3

To cause to collapse or burst inward violently.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

The opposite of explode, array to string conversion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To compress (data) with a particular algorithm.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: explode

6

verb

Meaning 6

burst inward

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The bottle imploded

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: go off

Antonyms: explode

Broader terms: collapse, fall in, cave in, give, give way, break, founder

History

Etymology

Back-formation from implosion.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: luhistua — to collapse or burst inward violently
  • Finnish: romahtaa — to collapse or burst inward violently
  • French: imploser — to collapse or burst inward violently
  • German: implodieren — to collapse or burst inward violently
  • Ido: implozar — to collapse or burst inward violently
  • Italian: implodere — to collapse or burst inward violently
  • Norwegian: implodere — to collapse or burst inward violently
  • Norwegian: kollapse — to collapse or burst inward violently
  • Polish: implodować — to collapse or burst inward violently
  • Portuguese: implodir — to collapse or burst inward violently
  • Russian: взрываться — to collapse or burst inward violently
  • Spanish: implosionar — to collapse or burst inward violently
  • Swedish: implodera — to collapse or burst inward violently
  • Turkish: yıkılmak — to collapse or burst inward violently