cratering
Making impact depressions
Cratering describes the formation of craters—bowl-shaped depressions typically caused by impact or explosion.
The word appears in contexts from lunar geology to road maintenance.
More commonly, cratering means collapsing or failing dramatically: The stock price is cratering, His approval ratings cratered after the scandal.
The figurative use suggests sudden, steep decline rather than gradual erosion.
Sudden structural failure
- plummetingFalling steeply and fast
- nosediveSudden steep descent
- freefallUnimpeded downward motion
- tankingDeclining rapidly, collapsing
plunging · downturn · slump · crash · dropping · falling · decline · deterioration
Space debris reaching Earth
- asteroidSun-orbiting rocky mass
- collisionForceful contact between objects
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
- lunarOf the moon
surface · debris · ejecta · shock · depression · cavity · basin · strike
Attack with explosives
- floppingFalling loosely, without control
- tankingDeclining rapidly, collapsing
- collapsingFalling inward suddenly
- implodingCollapsing violently inward
crashing · failing · busting · folding · sinking · dying · disintegrating · self-destructing
collapse
Sudden structural failure
- plummetingFalling steeply and fast
- nosediveSudden steep descent
- freefallUnimpeded downward motion
tanking · plunging · downturn · slump · crash · dropping · falling · decline · deterioration · bottoming
meteorite
Space debris reaching Earth
- asteroidSun-orbiting rocky mass
- collisionForceful contact between objects
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
lunar · surface · debris · ejecta · shock · depression · cavity · basin · strike · explosion
bombing
Attack with explosives
- floppingFalling loosely, without control
- tankingDeclining rapidly, collapsing
- collapsingFalling inward suddenly
imploding · crashing · failing · busting · folding · sinking · dying · disintegrating · self-destructing · backfiring
potholes
Pavement depressions from wear
- pockmarksSmall scarred indentations
- depressionsSunken areas or downturns
- unevenNot smooth or balanced
rough · scarred · pitted · lunar · landscape · surface · holes · cavities · weathered · eroded
- irregularitiesbumps, dents, ridges, grooves, ripples
- disfigurementsscars, scar, scarring, deformities, deformity
- military engineeringengineers, combat engineer, combat engineers, sappers, sapper
- surface defectscracks, crazing, peeling, blistering, bubbles
- declinedecline, in decline, decrease, downswing, on the decline
- Bomb Disposalbomb disposal, bomb squad, EOD, bomb robot, bomb disposal robot
crater, craters, cratered, craterlike, impact crater, volcanic crater