Burst or collapsed inward with force, like a building crushed from outside pressure, or fell apart from internal failure.
From 'implode,' which is the opposite of 'explode.' Both come from Latin: 'ex-' (out) for explode and 'in-' (in) for implode, plus 'plodere' (to clap or strike). Implode was coined as a technical term in the 20th century.
When deep-sea submarines implode, it's usually instant and catastrophic because ocean pressure is so immense—the Titan submersible disaster in 2023 was an implosion, not an explosion, which is why there was no underwater 'blast.'
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