Definition of CAPITULATE

Choose the Right Synonym for capitulate

yield, submit, capitulate, succumb, relent, defer mean to give way to someone or something that one can no longer resist. yield may apply to any sort or degree of giving way before force, argument, persuasion, or entreaty. yields too easily in any argument submit suggests full surrendering after resistance or conflict to the will or control of another. a repentant sinner vowing to submit to the will of God capitulate stresses the fact of ending all resistance and may imply either a coming to terms (as with an adversary) or hopelessness in the face of an irresistible opposing force. officials capitulated to the protesters' demands succumb implies weakness and helplessness to the one that gives way or an overwhelming power to the opposing force. a stage actor succumbing to the lure of Hollywood relent implies a yielding through pity or mercy by one who holds the upper hand. finally relented and let the children stay up late defer implies a voluntary yielding or submitting out of respect or reverence for or deference and affection toward another. I defer to your expertise in these matters

Did You Know?

Capitulate and its synonyms "yield," "submit," and "succumb" all mean to give way to someone or something, with a few slight differences in emphasis. "Yield" may apply to any sort or degree of bowing to force, debate, or pleading ("yields too easily in any argument"). "Submit" suggests surrender, after resistance, to the will or control of another ("a sinner submitting to the will of God"). "Succumb" imputes weakness and helplessness to the person giving in, or an overwhelming power to the opposition ("succumbing to temptation"). "Capitulate" stresses the termination of all resistance and may imply either a coming to terms, as with an adversary, or hopelessness before an irresistible opposing force ("officials capitulated to the demands").

Examples of capitulate in a Sentence

The country still refuses to capitulate despite its weakening army and dwindling resources. The teacher refused to capitulate: no calculators were to be used during the exam.

Recent Examples on the Web

The challenge for Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, the modernizing monarch of the contemporary Muslim moment, is to push through reforms like female drivers without seeming to capitulate to Western culture. — Rafia Zakaria, The New Republic, "Driving Toward Change," 23 June 2018 Companies in other industries have also capitulated in the face of Chinese tetchiness about Taiwan’s status. — New York Times, "China Tries to Erase Taiwan, One Ally (and Website) at a Time," 25 May 2018 But numerous brands have capitulated, including Delta Airlines (dal, -0.24%), hotel chain Marriott International (mar, -0.15%), and fashion retailer Zara. — Eli Meixler, Fortune, "Japanese Retailer Muji Is the Latest Company to Face China's Anger Over Taiwan," 24 May 2018 For two weeks, a Syrian military juggernaut has borne down on rebels bunkered in the country’s south, leaving them with a grim choice: capitulate or face annihilation. — Nabih Bulos, latimes.com, "As a government offensive bears down on them, Syrian rebels expect no help from onetime ally U.S.," 5 July 2018 The band vamped while Beyonce initially appeared reluctant to descend via the ladder -- understandable considering her towering heels -- but eventually capitulated. — Variety, chicagotribune.com, "Beyonce stranded by flying stage malfunction," 2 July 2018 Hanna-Attisha goes further, railing against decades of officials in the U.S. and beyond disregarding public health, capitulating to industry, and ignoring the plight of poor, minority communities. — Washington Post, "Doctor pens book on her role in revealing Flint water crisis," 15 June 2018 One of them is to capitulate to the notion that attention is capital and currency: something that is, quite literally, paid to you in return for your attempts to earn it. — Megan Garber, The Atlantic, "Schrödinger’s Coat," 22 June 2018 The president warned that he was prepared to hit China with an additional $200 billion in import taxes unless Beijing capitulates. — James Hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: From ‘I alone can fix it’ to ‘Congress alone can fix it,’ Trump passes the buck on family separation," 19 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'capitulate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.