n. 1. A violent collapse inward, as of a highly evacuated glass vessel. 2. Violent compression. 3. The inward collapse of a building that is being demolished in a controlled fashion by the weakening and breaking of structural members by explosives. 4. A catastrophic failure: the economy's implosion during the credit crisis. 5. Linguistics The pronunciation of a stop consonant with the breath drawn in. [IN-2 + (EX)PLOSION.] ![]() (click for a larger image) implosionstages of the implosion of Baptist Memorial Hospital Medical Center Memphis, Tennessee ![]() (click for a larger image) implosion![]() (click for a larger image) implosion |
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