1
as in collapsed
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devoted
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 buckled
The entire roster took that edict to heart in Game 1, and the Timberwolves buckled under the pressure.
—
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Throughout Season 51, sketches have buckled under dragging runtimes, one-note jokes bludgeoned to death and facile concepts; earlier this year, another first time host, Teyana Taylor, was similarly let down by sketches that couldn’t match her depth and range as a performer.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2026
There was no single day when the AI stock market euphoria buckled, no Lehman moment, no front-page meltdown.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
In August on the Petco Park mound a comebacker struck his knee, which buckled, and he was carted off the field.
—Shayna Rubin, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Mar. 2026
If children aren’t properly buckled, the driver faces fines up to $250.
—Elissa Jorgensen, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
The Fire Marshal's Office said while more than 100 people gathered in a building called the Sap House at the venue, the floor buckled creating a 20-foot by 20-foot opening and sending about 70 people into the basement.
—CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
Tagliafico was sent off in the 89th for a violent lunge on Lamine Camara, whose left foot buckled under him.
—ABC News, 22 Mar. 2026
Airports have recently buckled under the funding gap, with travelers suffering through long lines at security checkpoints as agents call out of work rather than toil without pay.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Throughout Season 51, sketches have buckled under dragging runtimes, one-note jokes bludgeoned to death and facile concepts; earlier this year, another first time host, Teyana Taylor, was similarly let down by sketches that couldn’t match her depth and range as a performer.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2026
There was no single day when the AI stock market euphoria buckled, no Lehman moment, no front-page meltdown.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
In August on the Petco Park mound a comebacker struck his knee, which buckled, and he was carted off the field.
—Shayna Rubin, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Mar. 2026
If children aren’t properly buckled, the driver faces fines up to $250.
—Elissa Jorgensen, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
The Fire Marshal's Office said while more than 100 people gathered in a building called the Sap House at the venue, the floor buckled creating a 20-foot by 20-foot opening and sending about 70 people into the basement.
—CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
Tagliafico was sent off in the 89th for a violent lunge on Lamine Camara, whose left foot buckled under him.
—ABC News, 22 Mar. 2026
Airports have recently buckled under the funding gap, with travelers suffering through long lines at security checkpoints as agents call out of work rather than toil without pay.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buckled
Verb
-
The brief, failed ouster of Altman in 2023 almost collapsed the ChatGPT maker, with investors pressing the board to bring back Altman and employees pledging to quit en masse if the CEO wasn’t reinstated.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Over the past 50 years, the average size of wildlife populations has collapsed by 73% owing to nature loss and climate change.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Now a top barrister and devoted single father to 10-year-old daughter Cami, Cope appears to have rebuilt his life.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Hall devoted an entire show to the verdict in the Rodney King case.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When officials noticed, the person crumpled the page and, in front of everyone, swallowed it.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Some might view that as a bad thing, given that the Broncos’ run-game consistency crumpled after that Dobbins injury.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Computer science major Ben Aybar, 22, graduated last spring from the University of Chicago and applied for about 50 jobs, mostly in software engineering, without getting a single interview.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Anxiety also reaches computer science majors Computer science major Ben Aybar, 22, graduated last spring from the University of Chicago and applied for about 50 jobs, mostly in software engineering, without getting a single interview.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In after-hours trading, the stock tumbled more than 6% as a result of the jump in capex guidance.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Brown tumbled head-first into a display of wine bottles during the struggle.—
Sheetal Banchariya,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Struijk’s error was punished, but nobody in white gave a good account of themselves during an opening period in which Daniel Farke admitted there was nervousness in his line-up.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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White told reporters at his Halas Hall introduction that his on-field tenacity comes from rivalries with his brothers and dad that stoked his fire and gave him a cutthroat edge.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buckled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buckled. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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