Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
humpty-dumpty
noun
/ˈhʌmpti ˈdʌmpti/
Definition
A character from a nursery rhyme, depicted as a large egg who falls off a wall and cannot be put back together again.
Examples
- In the children’s story, Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall.
- After the accident, it felt like everything was Humpty-Dumpty—nothing could be fixed.
Meaning
The term often symbolizes a situation that is beyond repair or someone who has fallen from a high position and cannot recover.
Synonyms
- egg
- breakdown
- collapse
