3 syllables: col, laps, ing. Stress on laps.
kuh-LAP-sing
/kəˈlæpsɪŋ/
collapsing is pronounced kuh-LAP-sing (/kəˈlæpsɪŋ/). It has three syllables (col-laps-ing), with the stress on "laps". Collapsing refers to the act of caving in, falling apart, or failing suddenly, often under pressure or weight. In more technical use, it describes a structure giving way or a system ceasing to function. The term conveys abrupt failure or breakdown, typically implying a rapid progression from stability to collapse.
Collapsing refers to the act of caving in, falling apart, or failing suddenly, often under pressure or weight. In more technical use, it describes a structure giving way or a system ceasing to function. The term conveys abrupt failure or breakdown, typically implying a rapid progression from stability to collapse.
- You might articulate /æ/ as /ʌ/ (as in 'struggle'); ensure a bright /æ/ by keeping jaw dropped slightly and tongue low-mid. - Overemphasizing the /s/ or making it sound like /z/ in rapid speech; keep the /s/ soft, then quickly move to /ɪŋ/. - Dropping the final /ŋ/ or pronouncing it as /n/; keep the velar nasal with soft velum closure for accurate nasal sound. - Slurring /kə/ into a full syllable; start with a quick, reduced /kə/ and move to /ˈlæps/ without extra vowels. - Rushing the second syllable; aim for a crisp /læps/ with a delayed yet natural /ɪŋ/.
"The old bridge is collapsing and will need urgent reinforcement."
"During the storm, the roof collapsed, sending debris everywhere."
"The patient’s lungs began collapsing after the injury."
Pronounced kə-LAPS-ing, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: /kəˈlæpsɪŋ/. Start with a weak schwa /kə/, then a clear /ˈlæps/ cluster where the lips approximate for /l/ and /æ/ is a bright near-front vowel, then a voiced nasal /ŋ/. Mouth: neutral for /k/, jaw drops to allow /æ/, tip of tongue lightly touches alveolar ridge for /l/ and /l/ is light. Finish with a soft /ɪŋ/ as in 'sing' but lighter.
Common errors: misplacing stress as COL-laps-ing (stress on first syllable) or pronouncing /æ/ as /eɪ/ in 'collapsing’. Correction: keep primary stress on the second syllable /ˈlæps/. Ensure the /l/ is clear and not darkened; avoid turning /æ/ into a broader /æə/ by keeping a crisp, short /æ/. Also avoid devoicing the final /ŋ/—let the nasal voice through. Practice by saying ‘kə-LAPS-ing’ slowly and then at natural speed to stabilize the rhythm.
US: /kəˈlæpsɪŋ/ with rhoticity and a clear /æ/. UK: /kəˈlæpsɪŋ/ similar, but the /ə/ may be a slightly more centralized schwa; non-rhotic tendencies don’t affect this word much. AU: /kəˈlæpsɪŋ/ similar to US, often with a more clipped final syllable and shorter /ɪŋ/. All share the strong secondary feel on the /læps/; the main variance is vowel quality and regional vowel length.
Key challenges: maintaining the quick, exact sequence /kə-/ + /ˈlæps/ + /ɪŋ/ where the /æ/ is bright and the /ɪŋ/ is light. Avoid smoothing the /l/ into a darkened or blended sound; keep an audible onset for /l/ and clear alveolar /p/ release before the /s/. The /æ/ must not shift toward /eɪ/ or a schwa; the /ŋ/ should be voiced and nasalized without truncation. Practicing minimal pairs around /læp/ vs /lɑp/ helps solidify the right tongue posture.
A unique point is the cluster timing: the /l/ and /æ/ must align quickly before the /p/ release. Don’t delay the /p/ too long after /æ/; the /s/ follows smoothly into /ɪŋ/. This ensures the phrase remains fluid in speech. In connected speech, you may hear slight palatalization of /l/ before /æ/ in fast talk, but keep it light and clipped to avoid l کش.
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- US: emphasize rhotic schwa /kə/ and a bright /æ/; ensure /ɪŋ/ is clearly nasalized but not overly voiced. - UK: keep /ə/ as a centralized schwa, /æ/ remains bright, and /ŋ/ should stay nasal but not overly prolonged. - AU: similar to US but with slightly flatter vowels; avoid stretching /æ/ too long; keep rhythm tight and melodic. Use IPA references to guide placement: /kəˈlæpsɪŋ/.
Collapsing comes from the verb collapse, which traces to the Latin collabi, meaning to glide or fall together, from com- (together) + labi (to slip, glide). The sense evolved through Old French as colapser and directly into English as collapse by the 16th century, initially meaning a sudden fall or break in a structure or body. By the 19th and 20th centuries, collapsing extended to describe people, organizations, and systems experiencing rapid failure or breakdown under stress. The progressive form collapsing emerged in modern English to depict ongoing action or developing failure, often used in medical, architectural, and economic contexts. Over time, the nuance shifted from a mere physical fall to include metaphorical or structural failure, particularly in disaster and risk discourse. First known uses appeared in scientific and engineering texts as structural integrity concerns grew, with popular usage spreading in journalism and literature to convey imminent breakdowns or catastrophic failure.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "collapsing" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "collapsing"
-ing sounds
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