collision
gb/kəlˈɪʒən/ us/kəlˈɪʒən/
B1
English
~ 8900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
event
1
two moving things hitting each other
An event when two or more things that are moving hit each other.
Usage pattern:
a collision between [thing] and [thing]
Common mistake:
Learners often use "accident" when they should use "collision". "Accident" can be any bad event, but "collision" specifically means things hit each other. Also, learners sometimes say "collision of two cars"; the more natural pattern is "a collision between two cars" or "a collision with another car".
Synonyms
crash (Often used especially for vehicles and sounds more dramatic or sudden, while "collision" is a bit more neutral and formal.)
Antonyms
near miss (Describes a situation where an accident or collision almost happens but is successfully avoided.)
Collocations
car collision
|head-on collision
|minor collision
|traffic collision
|fatal collision
|rear-end collision
Themes
transport
|safety
|law
|science
|transportation
|daily_life
Examples
- Three people were injured in a collision between a bus and a truck.
- The cyclist swerved at the last second and avoided a collision with the taxi.
- Police are investigating the cause of the head-on collision on the highway.
- The ships changed course too late to prevent a collision.
- The game was delayed after a collision between two players on the field.
Learner examples
- There was a bad collision between two cars.
- The train stopped quickly to avoid a collision.
- No one was hurt in the small collision at the corner.
- The police report described how the collision happened.
- Our car has damage from a collision with a tree.
Noun
B2
event
2
strong conflict or clash
A serious fight or strong disagreement between people, groups, or ideas.
Usage pattern:
a collision between [groups/ideas/interests]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "collision" for any small disagreement. It is better used for serious or direct conflicts, especially between big groups, strong interests, or very different ideas. For small, everyday problems, words like "argument" or "disagreement" are more natural.
Synonyms
clash (Very similar meaning; "clash" is slightly more common in everyday speech, while "collision" often sounds more formal or dramatic.)
Antonyms
harmony (When there is harmony, people or ideas fit together well, which is the opposite of the strong opposition suggested by "collision".)
Collocations
collision of interests
|collision between cultures
|collision between theory and practice
|inevitable collision
Themes
relationships
|politics
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The new policy led to a collision between management and the workers' union.
- There is an inevitable collision of interests between the two companies.
- The film explores the collision between traditional values and modern life.
- The meeting ended in a collision of personalities rather than a useful discussion.
- Her decision put her on a collision with her family’s expectations.
Learner examples
- There was a collision between the two leaders over the plan.
- The project caused a collision of different ideas.
- We want to avoid a collision between our team and theirs.
- The law created a collision between public safety and personal freedom.
- His values are in collision with the company culture.
Noun
technical
C1
event
3
short, forceful interaction in physics
In physics, a very short and strong meeting between objects that changes how fast or in what direction they move.
Usage pattern:
a collision between [particle/body] and [particle/body]
Common mistake:
Learners may think a "collision" in physics always means damage or breaking. In physics, it only means a brief, strong interaction that changes motion; the objects can stay unchanged in shape, especially in ideal models.
Synonyms
interaction (In physics this can be a broader term; a "collision" is a specific type of short, strong interaction that changes motion.)
Antonyms
non-interaction (Describes a situation in physics where bodies do not significantly affect each other, the opposite of a strong, motion-changing collision.)
Collocations
elastic collision
|inelastic collision
|particle collision
|perfectly elastic collision
|head-on collision (in physics)
Themes
science
|physics
|technology
Examples
- In an elastic collision, the total kinetic energy of the system is conserved.
- The experiment measures the angle after the collision between the two particles.
- Physicists study high-energy collisions inside the particle accelerator.
- The simulation models collisions between gas molecules in a closed container.
- Momentum is always conserved in a closed system during a collision.
Learner examples
- In physics class we learned about elastic and inelastic collision.
- The collision changes the speed of both objects.
- Scientists study collisions of particles in large machines.
- Energy can move from one object to another in a collision.
- A collision only takes a very short time but has a big effect.
Noun
technical
C1
event
4
simultaneous signals on a network
In computer networks, a problem that happens when two or more devices send data at the same time and the messages hit each other and cannot be read clearly.
Usage pattern:
a collision on [network/channel]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse a network "collision" with a physical break in the cable or complete loss of connection. A collision is a timing problem where signals overlap; the network and hardware usually detect it and resend the data.
Synonyms
data conflict (A more general term; "collision" is the standard technical word for this specific problem on shared communication channels.)
Antonyms
successful transmission (Describes data being sent and received correctly without interference, the opposite of a collision event on the network.)
Collocations
data collision
|packet collision
|Ethernet collision
|collision detection
|collision domain
Themes
technology
|computing
|communication
Examples
- The network adapter uses collision detection to know when it can send data.
- If too many devices share the same segment, packet collisions become more frequent.
- Ethernet collisions were common in older hub-based networks.
- The protocol defines how nodes back off after a collision occurs.
- Reducing the size of the collision domain improved performance.
Learner examples
- Old Ethernet networks had many collisions on the cable.
- A collision means two computers send data at the same time.
- After a collision, the devices wait and then try again.
- Too many collisions can make the network very slow.
- The software can show how many collisions happen each day.
Grammar
Expressions
head-on collision
1/hˈɛd ˈɔn kəlˈɪʒən/
fixed phrase
front parts hit directly
A crash where the front of one moving thing hits the front of another moving thing.
Examples
- Two people died in a head-on collision between a car and a lorry.
- The new safety barriers are designed to prevent head-on collisions.
- The driver crossed the center line and caused a head-on collision.
in collision with
1/ˈɪn kəlˈɪʒən wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
having hit another object
Used to say that one thing has hit another thing.
Examples
- The bus was in collision with a truck at the junction.
- Two cyclists were in collision with a parked car.
- No other vehicles were in collision with the train.
on a collision course (with)
1/ˈɔn ə kəlˈɪʒən kˈɔɹs wˈɪθ/
idiom
moving toward certain conflict
To be likely to have a serious fight or problem with someone or something soon, because your actions or plans are very different.
Examples
- The two companies are on a collision course over control of the market.
- His refusal to compromise put him on a collision course with his boss.
- Current spending levels place the government on a collision course with reality.