1
as in to collapse
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure
the flimsy bridge buckled under the weight of the caravan of trucks
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to devote
to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention
buckled himself down and finished the assignment in record time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of buckle
Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
If only those scenes didn’t begin to buckle under their own weight from a lack of substance underneath.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 12 Apr. 2026
New Atlas, 19 Apr. 2026
Crews are working to repair the water main that caused a road to buckle and water to spew onto the road along Druid Park Drive near Reisterstown Road, according to Baltimore's Department of Public Works (DPW).
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for buckle
Verb
Retí’s is the standout performance, cogently mapping a mother’s tenacity buckling under a mounting feeling of helplessness at watching her child disappear into a mystery.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
If only those scenes didn’t begin to buckle under their own weight from a lack of substance underneath.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
Fidlock will make the Snap buckle available to bicycle helmet companies in the second half of 2026, and plans to roll it out for other types of sports helmets later in the year.
—New Atlas, 19 Apr. 2026
Crews are working to repair the water main that caused a road to buckle and water to spew onto the road along Druid Park Drive near Reisterstown Road, according to Baltimore's Department of Public Works (DPW).
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for buckle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buckle
Verb
-
At Yale University, a committee of professors wanted to know why public trust in higher education had collapsed.—
Steven P. Dinkin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
But after that decent start, their form collapsed.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The situation stems from the commendable liberal impulse to devote extensive resources to public education.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
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News outlets devoted round-the-clock coverage to Jackson, and MTV dedicated its programming almost exclusively to the musician.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Gambling addiction is a serious public health issue that prediction markets intensify by merging the addictive feedback loops of social media with casino-style wagering.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
This feedback loop can bear strange fruit.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Instead, the 2026 draft saw a running back go third, a middle linebacker go seventh, and nine offensive linemen gone by the end of the first round.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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There’s a lot that goes (on) behind the scene as a manager.—
Ronald Blum,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Conventional solutions often involve applying external pressure in the tens of megapascals or utilizing complex coating processes that increase manufacturing costs and reduce packaging efficiency.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
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His church also applied financial pressure before the United Methodist Church conference struck down longstanding anti-LGBTQ policies.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Kate became the Princess of Wales in the same sweep, embracing an elevated role in the royal fold and taking on the title that her late mother-in-law was globally known by.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
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Standing on a circular base, her long peplos falls in both deep and shallow folds; it was meticulously sculpted by a single artist, rather than a workshop, to appear lifelike with natural depth and contour.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The casting has always managed to feel diverse, but in a guileless, incidental way, giving the appearance of multicultural inclusion without espousing any explicitly progressive viewpoints.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2026
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Inning-ending calls have been overturned, giving hitters another opportunity that, in some cases, has led to game-changing home runs.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Recreational activities have changed, but the spiral from contender to cellar remains unchecked.—
Ronald Blum,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
When that happened, Gala started rebalancing the in-game economy and shrinking TOWN distributions, reducing profits for existing players and hastening an economic death spiral.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buckle. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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