Definition of "implosion" [im•plo•sion]

• A violent collapse inward, as of a highly evacuated glass vessel. (noun)
• Violent compression. (noun)
• The inward collapse of a building that is being demolished in a controlled fashion by the weakening and breaking of structural members by explosives. (noun)
• Linguistics The pronunciation of a stop consonant with the breath drawn in. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Your implosion is a daily treat, and NO ONE on the Democrat side – me included – is going to get in the way of elevating Palin (geez ... talk about a Messiah complex; at least our guy can understand Earth is greater than 5000 years old)."
• "No my friend the critical mass has been reached and the implosion is happening as we watch."
• "And that implosion is a development with far-reaching implications."