toppling

verb

present participle of topple
as in falling
to go down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily the tower of blocks toppled even though I bumped into it ever so slightly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of toppling But further strengthening is unlikely due to a roadblock of storm-toppling wind shear set up just off the northern coast. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026 The Oceanside Harbor registered 98 on Sunday, toppling the record of 97 set in 1953. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 This ship, however, did not have the same landing luck as its predecessor, and exploded moments after toppling into the waters. — Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026 Snoring in the middle of conversations, nodding off during fight scenes, suddenly toppling over — Hollywood is no stranger to using narcolepsy as a source of humor. — Gina Park, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026 Two workers picking up traffic control equipment were killed when an Amazon delivery vehicle collided with their truck and sent it toppling over a guardrail on I-95 in southeast Georgia, according to state investigators. — Asia Simone Burns, AJC.com, 16 Sep. 2026 The vehicle even remained intact after toppling over, a feat none of its predecessors had pulled off. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 20 Aug. 2026 Engineers expected the ship’s life to end with a fiery disintegration after toppling over, just as past Starships have done following splashdown. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026 Henry County officials are also investigating a possible tornado that moved through New Castle, Indiana, on Wednesday, toppling trees and ripping the roof off a commercial building. — Michelle Simmons, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toppling
  1. falling
  2. stumbling
  3. tripping
  4. slipping
  5. tumbling
Verb
  • People have moved so aggressively along the learning curve that those challenges are falling by the wayside.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Paired with an all-leather ensemble, pants and pointed-toe pumps included, the hair screamed ’80s rom-com star, the curls falling toward her face in a single swift motion.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of falling
Verb
  • Unlike every other film genre, the history of horror, at least since the 1950s, is a story of amateurs stumbling in the dark.
    — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Instead of stumbling like the Phillies and Cubs, the Padres surged and took with them the #1 Wild Card spot, earning the right to host this series.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of stumbling
Verb
  • Every Electric’s team responded by continually updating the battery firmware to reduce the risk of tripping local circuit breakers.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Allen is also remembered for tripping opponents three times in a calendar year, all of them caught on tape.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of tripping
Verb
  • Look a little closer, however, and its chart dominance has been slipping for years.
    — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Golden State trailed by 16 points with 16 minutes remaining, their historic season slipping through their fingers.
    — Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of slipping
Verb
  • Cliffs teeter at 1,640 feet, before tumbling down in a flurry of vineyards and walking trails to the rushing rivers and gorges of Sil and Miño.
    — Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
  • But many homeowners locked in low mortgage rates when COVID-19 slammed the economy and sent borrowing costs tumbling; so they are protected if mortgage rates rise in the wake of a Fed raTte hike.
    — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of tumbling

Browse Nearby Words

topples
toppling
tops
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Cite this Entry

“Toppling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toppling. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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