Synonyms and antonyms of Vehicle accidents and breakdowns in British Thesaurus

accident (noun)

a crash involving a car, train, plane, or other vehicle

aquaplane (verb)

British if a car aquaplanes, it slides across water on the road in an uncontrolled way

bang up (American)

American to damage something such as a vehicle

blindside (verb)

mainly Americaninformal to hit the side of a travelling vehicle in an accident

blowout (noun)

an occasion when a tyre on a moving vehicle suddenly bursts

breakdown (noun)

a situation in which a machine or vehicle stops working

break down ()

if a machine or vehicle breaks down, it stops working

broadside (verb)

mainly American to crash into the side of another vehicle

bump (noun)

British a minor car accident

car crash (noun)

an accident in which two or more vehicles crash into each other

collision (noun)

an accident in which a person or vehicle that is moving crashes into something

crash (verb)

if a moving vehicle crashes, it hits something, causing damage

crash (verb)

if someone crashes a moving vehicle, they hit something with it, causing damage

crash (verb)

if a plane crashes, or if someone crashes it, it falls from the sky

crash (noun)

an accident that happens when a moving vehicle hits something, causing damage

derail (verb)

to make a train come off its rails

derail (verb)

if a train derails, it comes off its rails

ding (verb)

American to make a small dent on the surface of something, especially a car

distress (noun)

a situation in which a ship, aircraft etc is in great danger and likely to sink or crash

fender-bender (noun)

Americaninformal a minor accident in which vehicles are slightly damaged

fishtail (verb)

if a vehicle fishtails, its back end moves from side to side in an uncontrolled way

flat (noun)

mainly Americaninformal a puncture

head-on (adverb)

if two vehicles crash head-on, the front of one vehicle hits the front of the other

head-on (adjective)

a head-on crash is one in which two vehicles travelling in opposite directions hit each other

hit (verb)

if a vehicle hits someone or something, it moves against them with great force

hit-and-run (adjective)

a hit-and-run accident is one in which a driver does not stop after their vehicle has hit a person or another car

jackknife (verb)

if a truck or train jackknifes, it bends in the middle and its connected parts fold towards each other

knock down (British)

British to hit someone with a vehicle so that they are injured or killed

pile-up (noun)

an accident in which several vehicles crash into each other

plough into ()

to crash into someone or something with force, especially because you are moving or driving too quickly or in a careless or uncontrolled way

plough through ()

to crash through something or a group of people with force, especially because you are moving or driving too quickly or in a careless or uncontrolled way

prang (verb)

Britishinformal to damage or hit something in an accident, especially a car or plane

puncture (noun)

a small hole made by accident in a tyre

ram (verb)

if a vehicle or boat rams something, it hits it very hard, usually when it is moving fast

rollover (noun)

an occasion when a vehicle turns over while it is moving

RTA (noun)

road traffic accident: an accident on the road involving vehicles

run into ()

to hit someone or something by accident while you are driving

run over ()

to hit someone or something with a vehicle and drive over them

run someone off the road ()

to drive in a way that forces someone else’s car to drive off the road

shipwreck (noun)

an accident in which a ship is destroyed during a journey, usually because it hits rocks

shunt (noun)

a situation in which several cars crash into each other in a line

sideswipe (verb)

mainly American if one vehicle sideswipes another vehicle, their sides touch quickly

skid (noun)

a sudden uncontrolled slide across the ground, especially by a vehicle

smash (noun)

informal a car crash

smash into ()

to make something such as a vehicle hit an object or surface very hard while moving very fast, causing injury or damage

smash-up (noun)

informal an accident that happens when a moving vehicle hits something, causing damage

SMIDSY (noun)

British an occasion when a cyclist is knocked off their bike by a motorist who didn’t see them in time

stall (noun)

an occasion when a vehicle’s engine suddenly stops working

total (verb)

informal to completely destroy a vehicle

whiplash (noun)

a serious injury affecting your neck, caused when the vehicle that you are in is hit from behind by another vehicle, which makes your head move violently

wreck (verb)

to severely damage or destroy a vehicle or building

wreck (noun)

something that has been badly damaged, especially a car, plane, or train that has been in an accident

wreck (noun)

American a crash

wreckage (noun)

the parts of a vehicle or building that remain after it has been severely damaged

write off (British)

British to damage a vehicle so badly that it is not worth repairing

write-off (noun)

British a vehicle that is so badly damaged that it cannot be repaired