crash

The word “crash” means a violent collision, especially involving a vehicle. In plain terms, a violent collision or sudden failure — of a vehicle, a computer, or a market; as a verb, to collide, fail suddenly, or (informally) show up uninvited.

“Crash” is pronounced KRASH (/ˈkɹæʃ/ in IPA).

Here is “crash” used in a sentence: “Traffic backed up for miles after the crash on the highway.”

Depending on how it is used, “crash” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “crash” comes from Middle English. From Middle English crasshen ("to break into pieces"), likely blending words for breaking and cracking; imitative of the sound itself.

“Crash” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Crash” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a violent collision, especially involving a vehicle.

A collision is the neutral, technical term for two things striking each other. A crash usually implies more force, speed, and damage, and often a sudden, dramatic impact. Reports and police may prefer 'collision,' while everyday speech says 'crash.' In practice both describe vehicles hitting each other, but crash sounds more violent.

'Accident' suggests no one was to blame and the event was unavoidable. 'Crash' simply describes the violent collision itself, without judging the cause — which may have involved speeding or carelessness. Road-safety campaigners increasingly prefer 'crash' precisely because it does not assume the harm was nobody's fault.

No. While a crash most often means a vehicle collision, the word stretches further. A computer can crash when it stops working, the stock market can crash when prices fall sharply, and a loud crash can mean a sudden, resounding noise. The common thread is something sudden, forceful, and damaging.

On the road, common types include head-on crashes, rear-end crashes, side-impacts, and multi-vehicle pile-ups. Beyond vehicles, people speak of plane crashes, train crashes, computer crashes, and market crashes. Each shares the idea of a sudden, forceful impact or collapse, whether physical, digital, or financial.