collide
gb/kəlˈaɪd/ us/kəlˈaɪd/
B2
English
ütközik, nekiütközik, összeütközik
VERB
B2
1
ütközik
B1
nekiütközik
B1
Usage pattern:
[something] collides with [something]
The bus collided with a car at the junction.
A busz egy autónak ütközött a kereszteződésben.
He lost control and collided with a barrier.
Elvesztette az uralmát a jármű felett, és a korlátnak ütközött.
Two cyclists collided with a parked van in heavy rain.
Learner examples
The car collided with a tree.
Az autó egy fának ütközött.
The two bikes collided.
A két bicikli összeütközött.
Common mistake:
Use 'collide with' (not usually 'collide to/into' in standard English).
Meaning
crash into something
Collocations
collide with a car
|collide with a truck
|collide with a wall
|collide with a tree
|collide with another vehicle
|collide at an intersection
|collide on the highway
|collide on impact
|collide at speed
|collide during the race
Synonyms
crash (More common and less formal; can also mean the vehicle itself has an accident.)
|
slam into (Emphasizes suddenness and force.)
Antonyms
avoid (Not hitting something because you steer away or prevent contact.)
Themes
transport
|accidents
|daily_life
Definition
If one thing collides with another, it hits it hard by accident.
To hit something violently while moving, especially by accident.
VERB
B2
2
összeütközik
B1
Usage pattern:
[two or more things] collide
Two trains collided just outside the station.
Két vonat közvetlenül az állomás előtt összeütközött.
The players collided and both fell to the ground.
A játékosok összeütköztek, és mindketten a földre estek.
Several boats collided in thick fog.
Learner examples
Two cars collided on the road.
Két autó összeütközött az úton.
Common mistake:
In this meaning, 'collide' can be used without an object: 'Two cars collided.'
Meaning
crash into each other
Collocations
two cars collided
|vehicles collided
|trains collided
|ships collided
|planes collided
|players collided
|collide in the tunnel
|collide on the track
|collide during practice
|collide at the corner
Synonyms
crash (Often used for vehicles; may not explicitly state 'into each other' unless added.)
|
smash together (Stronger and more dramatic; focuses on the result.)
Antonyms
miss (Passing without contact.)
Themes
transport
|accidents
|sports
Definition
If two moving things collide, they crash into each other.
To hit each other while moving, especially accidentally.
VERB
C1
3
ütközik
B2
Usage pattern:
[idea/plan/interest] collides with [idea/plan/interest]
Her personal values collided with the company’s culture.
Személyes értékei ütköztek a cég kultúrájával.
Their plans collided, and neither was willing to change.
A terveik ütköztek, és egyikük sem volt hajlandó változtatni.
Freedom of speech can collide with concerns about public safety.
Learner examples
My plan collided with his plan.
A tervem ütközött az ő tervével.
Common mistake:
Don't use it for small disagreements; it usually suggests a serious conflict.
Meaning
conflict strongly
Collocations
collide with reality
|collide with tradition
|collide with policy
|collide with the law
|collide with his beliefs
|values collide
|interests collide
|plans collide
|collide head-on with
|collide with each other
Synonyms
clash (Very common for disagreement; can sound slightly less technical.)
|
conflict (More general; often used in formal writing.)
Antonyms
align (Agreeing or fitting well together.)
|
coincide (Matching or happening together without conflict.)
Themes
communication
|work
|society
Definition
If two ideas or plans collide, they disagree and cannot both work.
To be in direct conflict, so that two ideas, plans, or interests cannot both be accepted or succeed.
VERB
C1
4
ütközik
B2
Usage pattern:
[event/appointment] collides with [event/appointment]
My dentist appointment collides with a work meeting.
A fogorvosi időpontom ütközik egy munkahelyi megbeszéléssel.
The conference dates collided with school holidays.
A konferencia időpontjai ütköztek az iskolai szünettel.
Two major events collided, stretching the city’s resources.
Learner examples
My class collides with my shift.
Az órám ütközik a műszakommal.
Common mistake:
For neutral scheduling, 'overlap' is often more natural; 'collide' suggests the overlap causes trouble.
Meaning
overlap in time
Collocations
meetings collide
|dates collide
|schedules collide
|appointments collide
|collide with my exam
|collide with the wedding
|collide with work
|collide with school
|collide with another event
|collide with a deadline
Synonyms
overlap (More neutral; does not necessarily imply a problem.)
|
conflict (Common in scheduling: 'My meeting conflicts with yours.')
Antonyms
fit (Being able to be arranged without conflict.)
Themes
time
|work
|daily_life
Definition
If two events collide, they are scheduled for the same time and you cannot do both.
To happen at the same time in a way that causes a problem or makes it impossible to do both things.
VERB
C1
TECHNICAL
5
ütközik
B2
Usage pattern:
[particles/bodies] collide (with [particles/bodies])
In the experiment, protons collide at nearly the speed of light.
A kísérletben a protonok csaknem fénysebességgel ütköznek.
Gas pressure increases when molecules collide more often with the walls of the container.
A gáznyomás nő, amikor a molekulák gyakrabban ütköznek a tartály falával.
The model predicts what happens when two particles collide.
Learner examples
In physics, particles can collide.
A fizikában a részecskék ütközhetnek.
Common mistake:
In scientific contexts, 'collide' is used even when the objects are very small or the interaction is indirect.
Meaning
particles hit each other
Collocations
particles collide
|atoms collide
|molecules collide
|protons collide
|collide at high speed
|collide at high energy
|collide in an accelerator
|collide elastically
|collide in a vacuum
|collide with each other
Synonyms
impact (Often used as a noun; as a verb it is more general and less common in physics explanations.)
|
strike (More general; less technical than 'collide' for particle interactions.)
Antonyms
separate (Moving apart rather than coming together to interact.)
Themes
science
|physics
|education
Definition
In science, when particles collide, they hit each other and interact.
In physics, to come together and interact by striking one another, as when particles or bodies meet due to motion.
Grammar
Dictionary form
collide
IPA
GB/kəlˈaɪd/
US/kəlˈaɪd/
Syllables & stress
col - lide (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (lide)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: collide
- 3rd Person Singular: collides
- Present Participle: colliding
- Past: collided
Word family
Expressions
collide head-on
1/kəlˈaɪd hˈɛd ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
crash front to front
If two vehicles collide head-on, their fronts hit each other.
Examples
- The two cars collided head-on on a narrow road.
- A truck and a bus collided head-on in the early morning.
- They narrowly avoided colliding head-on with an oncoming vehicle.
Learner examples
- Two cars collided head-on.
collide with
1/kəlˈaɪd wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
hit something accidentally
Use 'collide with' to say what you hit.
Examples
- The van collided with a taxi at the lights.
- A cyclist collided with a pedestrian on the path.
- The ship collided with a rock near the coast.
Learner examples
- The bus collided with a car.
collide with each other
1/kəlˈaɪd wˈɪθ ˈit͡ʃ ˈʌðɚ/
fixed phrase
crash into one another
It means they crash into one another.
Examples
- In the final lap, two riders collided with each other.
- The boats collided with each other in the strong current.
- The children ran around the corner and collided with each other.
Learner examples
- The two bikes collided with each other.
collide with reality
1/kəlˈaɪd wˈɪθ ɹiˈæləti/
idiom
meet facts and fail
Your plan meets the real facts, and you see it won’t work.
Examples
- His dream of starting a business collided with reality when the money ran out.
- The project’s optimistic timeline collided with reality after the first round of testing.
- Their holiday plans collided with reality when the flights were cancelled.