collide

verb

col·​lide kə-ˈlīd How to pronounce collide (audio)
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.

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 See all Example Sentences for collide 

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of collide was in 1700

Dictionary Entries Near collide

Cite this Entry

“Collide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collide. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

collide

verb
col·​lide kə-ˈlīd How to pronounce collide (audio)
collided; colliding
1
: to come together with solid impact
the football players collided
2
: clash entry 1 sense 2a
their different outlooks collided

More from Merriam-Webster on collide

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!