plural caves
1
: a natural chamber or series of chambers in the earth or in the side of a hill or cliff
2
: a usually underground chamber for storage
a wine cave
also
: the articles stored there
3
: a place providing privacy or seclusion from others
When a friend dragged her out of her cave to go salsa dancing for the first time, the rhythms … stepped into her soul …—
Leslie Guttman
see also man cave
Leslie Guttman
caved; caving; caves
1
: to cease to resist or oppose : to give in or submit to pressure
We kept asking her to come and she finally caved.
—usually used with inHe finally caved in to the pressure to resign.
2
: to fall in or down especially from being undermined
—usually used with in
The roof caved in on them.
: to cause to fall or collapse
—usually used with in
The weight of the snow caved in the roof.
Examples of cave in a Sentence
Noun
Kentucky's Mammoth Cave is actually a series of large chambers on five levels.
Verb (2)
the wall caved in when a tree fell on it
I caved in to my bibliomania and bought two more books last week
Recent Examples on the Web
Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
As the 14-year-old child of a poor family in 1858, Saint Bernadette experienced numerous apparitions of a young woman in a cave or grotto, seemingly the Virgin Mary, asking for a chapel to be built on the site.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
FOXNews.com, 23 Feb. 2026
But he was overruled, and like usual, the Dolphins former general manager, who too often lacked a backbone and conviction, caved when McDaniel went to owner Steve Ross and convinced him a deal needed to be done.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cave
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Noun
Part of the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark, this trail is a geological wonderland, boasting hexagonal rock columns and secret caves that wouldn't look out of place in a dinosaur's backyard.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
As the 14-year-old child of a poor family in 1858, Saint Bernadette experienced numerous apparitions of a young woman in a cave or grotto, seemingly the Virgin Mary, asking for a chapel to be built on the site.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
Continue reading … -- POLITICS STALEMATE STAKES — GOP senator predicts Democrats will cave on shutdown when flights get canceled.
—FOXNews.com, 23 Feb. 2026
But he was overruled, and like usual, the Dolphins former general manager, who too often lacked a backbone and conviction, caved when McDaniel went to owner Steve Ross and convinced him a deal needed to be done.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cave
Cite this Entry
“Cave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cave. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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