collide

verb

col·​lide kə-ˈlīd 

collided; colliding

intransitive verb

1

: to come together with solid or direct impact

The car collided with a tree.

Two helicopters collided.

2

: clash

colliding cultures

Science and religion collided in the court.

Synonyms

• clash
• conflict
• disaccord
• discord
• jar

Examples of collide in a Sentence

Two football players collided on the field.

the candidate had a reputation as a maverick whose positions often collided with the party platform

Recent Examples on the Web

Bell, who entered a corner at excessive speed and collided with the wall, faced penalties that demoted him from 18th to 22nd place, costing him a spot in the Championship 4. —David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024

These ejections can collide with Earth’s magnetosphere, the barrier protecting humanity from the harshest impacts of space weather, to produce geomagnetic storms. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024

During the pursuit, an unmarked and marked squad collided with each other on South 11th Street and West Greenfield Avenue. —Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2024

Take a close look at these nuanced interpersonal narratives, where technical perfection captures the slightest human imperfections in sensational monumental compositions where the quotidian cleverly collides with the curious. —Natasha Gural, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin collidere, from com- + laedere to injure by striking

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

collide

verb

col·​lide kə-ˈlīd 

collided; colliding

1

: to come together with solid impact

the football players collided

2

: clash entry 1 sense 2a

their different outlooks collided