sinkhole
Earth swallows itself
A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by the collapse of surface material into an underground void.
Sinkholes form naturally in areas with soluble bedrock like limestone, where water gradually dissolves rock below the surface.
They can also result from human activity—broken water mains, mining, or drilling.
Sinkholes range from shallow dips to catastrophic collapses that swallow cars and buildings.
Figuratively, a sinkhole is anything that consumes resources with little return: That renovation project became a money sinkhole.
Prolonged low state
- pitFruit's hard seed
- craterImpact or volcanic basin
- chasmDeep, steep-sided gap
- cenoteLimestone sinkhole revealing groundwater
pothole · funnel · cavity · void · opening · shaft · vertical drop
Eroded soluble rock terrain
- limestoneCarbonate sedimentary rock
- aquiferGroundwater-bearing geological formation
- dissolutionBreaking up completely
- bedrockSolid stone underground
erosion · gypsum · hydrology · permeability · groundwater · subsurface · sediment · stratigraphy
Completely surround and cover
- devourEat greedily and fast
- consumeTake in fully
- drainChannel for wastewater
- claimStatement of ownership or truth
absorb · plunge · vanish · drop away · open up · give way · take down · submerge
Gradual ground sinking
- cave-inUnderground passage collapse
- structural failureLoss of load-bearing capacity
- implosionViolent collapse inward
- crumbleFragment gradually
foundation damage · property damage · infrastructure damage · warning signs · destabilization
Endlessly expensive undertaking
- bottomlessHaving no base
- drainChannel for wastewater
- quagmireSoft, wet ground
- wasteUnwanted discarded material
Exposure to harm
- riskPossibility of harm
- instabilityTendency toward unpredictable change
- evacuationRemoval from danger
- insurance claimDemand for policy payment
road closure · property loss · mitigation · remediation · grouting · monitoring · early warning · unsafe
Overwhelming water overflow
- landslideMass of earth falling
- earthquakeSeismic ground movement
- mudslideFlowing mass of wet soil
- emergency responseOrganized action during crises
insurance claim · water main break · remediation · fill material
depression
Prolonged low state
cenote · pothole · funnel · cavity · void · opening · shaft · vertical drop
karst
Eroded soluble rock terrain
- limestoneCarbonate sedimentary rock
- aquiferGroundwater-bearing geological formation
- dissolutionBreaking up completely
bedrock · erosion · gypsum · hydrology · permeability · groundwater · subsurface · sediment · stratigraphy · geotechnical
engulf
Completely surround and cover
claim · absorb · plunge · vanish · drop away · open up · give way · take down · submerge
subsidence
Gradual ground sinking
- cave-inUnderground passage collapse
- structural failureLoss of load-bearing capacity
- implosionViolent collapse inward
crumble · foundation damage · property damage · infrastructure damage · warning signs · destabilization
money pit
Endlessly expensive undertaking
- bottomlessHaving no base
- drainChannel for wastewater
- quagmireSoft, wet ground
danger
Exposure to harm
- riskPossibility of harm
- instabilityTendency toward unpredictable change
- evacuationRemoval from danger
insurance claim · road closure · property loss · mitigation · remediation · grouting · monitoring · early warning · unsafe · condemned
flood
Overwhelming water overflow
- landslideMass of earth falling
- earthquakeSeismic ground movement
- mudslideFlowing mass of wet soil
emergency response · insurance claim · water main break · remediation · fill material
- earth scienceatmosphere, earthquake, geology, volcano, crust
- infrastructure failuresbridge collapse, potholes, dam breach, power outage, water main breaks
- geological formationsmineral deposit, ore deposit, coal deposit, oil deposit, gold deposit
- land changeslandslides, earthquake, erosion, landslide, earthquakes
- karst landformscave, grotto, stalactite, stalagmite, flowstone
- road defectspothole, crack, cracking, rutting, rut
sinkholevolcano
Earth's fiery vent
geyser · mountain · stalagmite · volcanic cone · lava dome
sinkholegoldmine
Rich ore deposit
cash cow · moneymaker · profit center · revenue stream · windfall