1
as in collapses
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 devotes
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 buckles
Adam Erace, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
The word nearly buckles my knees.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
To his yacht-aspiring wrist, the buyer buckles a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II, a watch designed to commemorate Sir Edmund Hillary’s 1953 summit of Everest.
—Adam Erace, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
The word nearly buckles my knees.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buckles
Verb
-
As the video demonstrates, von Ensingen’s drawing (not in the show, alas) collapses all the levels, complete with stairs, setbacks, vaults, and columns, onto a single plane.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
23 Apr. 2026
-
For Tottenham, what once felt unthinkable is fast becoming one of the most remarkable collapses the 34-year Premier League era has seen.—
Dean Jones,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Illinois devotes significant resources to recruiting overseas to bring in their large international contingent — including Croatian twin centers Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivišić and freshman forward David Mirković.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
McGrath devotes a whole chapter to lunch.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Functional front pockets and belt loops add to their versatility.—
Becca Blond,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The flagellar bundle falls apart, and the cell tumbles.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Apr. 2026
-
This setting uses more water and tumbles linens gently to keep them from getting twisted.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The automatic discount also applies to all purchases made on the Free People app—no minimum purchase required.—
Hannah Chubb,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Even once the standard is set, the 2027 deadline applies to creating the rule, not putting the technology in cars right away.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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Search in bends and folds of skin in areas such as the scalp, in and around the ears, under arms and behind knees, inside the belly button, around the waistline, and between fingers and toes.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Low-impact trekking and homestays offer rare access to a region where human presence still bends to nature’s terms.—
Rob Crossan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
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The historic surge was attributed in part to the comeback activities of BTS following their military hiatus — hard proof that the septet’s cultural gravity bends entire economies.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And that gives Ukraine a huge win globally.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Simmons is right that the glasses are super-thin, which gives them a delightful hand feel no matter the beverage.—
Jennifer Zyman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buckles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buckles. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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