collision: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral to Formal. Common in technical, academic, and news writing; less frequent in casual conversation.
Quick answer
What does “collision” mean?
The action of two or more objects forcibly striking each other.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The action of two or more objects forcibly striking each other; an instance of violent physical impact.
1. A conflict of opposing ideas, interests, or opinions. 2. In computing, an instance of two or more simultaneous signals causing interference. 3. The simultaneous occurrence of events causing a conflict or overlap.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. The derived adjective 'collisional' is slightly more frequent in American academic physics texts.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties. Strongly associated with physics, traffic accidents, and conflict.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both varieties. Slightly more common in American data due to higher volume of traffic/automotive discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “collision” in a Sentence
collision between X and Ycollision with Xcollision of [two abstract things, e.g., interests]in collisionon a collision course (with X)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “collision” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The particles are set to collide.
- Their views collided during the debate.
American English
- The trucks collided at the intersection.
- His ambitions collided with company policy.
adverb
British English
- Not a standard derivation. No common usage.
- Not a standard derivation. No common usage.
American English
- Not a standard derivation. No common usage.
- Not a standard derivation. No common usage.
adjective
British English
- The collisional physics of the experiment is complex.
- Collisional damping was observed.
American English
- The collisional cross-section was calculated.
- A collisional debris disk was discovered.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Describes conflicting schedules, market forces, or strategic interests (e.g., 'a collision of project deadlines').
Academic
Common in physics (particle collision), computer science (data packet collision), and social sciences (cultural collision).
Everyday
Overwhelmingly used for road traffic accidents.
Technical
Specific meanings in physics (e.g., 'elastic collision'), networking ('collision domain'), and astronomy ('galactic collision').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “collision”
- Incorrect: 'The collision of the two friends was warm.' (Use 'meeting' or 'embrace').
- Incorrect preposition: 'collision against' (correct: 'collision with' or 'between').
- Spelling confusion: 'colision' (misses one 'l').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Collision' specifically describes the event of two things hitting each other. 'Accident' is broader, meaning any unintended, often harmful event. All traffic collisions are accidents, but not all accidents (e.g., a fall) are collisions.
Yes, but it implies a forceful, often clumsy or unexpected bodily impact (e.g., 'a collision on the sports field'). For a planned or gentle meeting, 'encounter' or 'meeting' is better.
Mostly, as it implies damage or conflict. However, in physics or gaming, it is a neutral, descriptive term for a fundamental type of interaction.
It describes a situation where two parties (people, groups, ideas) are inevitably heading towards a serious conflict or disagreement.
The action of two or more objects forcibly striking each other.
Collision is usually neutral to formal. common in technical, academic, and news writing; less frequent in casual conversation. in register.
Collision: in British English it is pronounced /kəˈlɪʒ.ən/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˈlɪʒ.ən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on a collision course”
- “a collision of worlds”
- “head for a collision”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of TWO CARS in a COLLISION – both have 'COLL' in them (COLLide, COLLision).
Conceptual Metaphor
CONFLICT IS PHYSICAL COLLISION (e.g., 'a collision of ideologies').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'collision' LEAST appropriate?