capitulation

noun

ca·​pit·​u·​la·​tion kə-ˌpi-chə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce capitulation (audio)
1
: a set of terms or articles (see article sense 1c) constituting an agreement between governments
2
a
: the act of surrendering or yielding
the capitulation of the defenders of the besieged town
b
: the terms of surrender

Examples of capitulation in a Sentence

her sudden capitulation surprised everyone; she usually debated for hours
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ukraine refuses to surrender its sovereignty; Russia will not accept anything less than Ukrainian capitulation. Michael Carpenter, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2025 The talks between Russia, Ukraine and third countries have struggled to make progress after Moscow refused to back off its maximalist demands and presented a ceasefire proposal that would essentially amount to Ukraine’s capitulation. Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 26 June 2025 Those emotions echoed throughout a complete capitulation in the Leafs’ seventh straight Game 7 loss, and possibly long afterwards. Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 19 May 2025 Instead of fighting like fellow Ivy League member Harvard University, Columbia agreed to many of the demands from the Trump administration, such as changing its disciplinary policies, but the capitulation only led to more funding being pulled. Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 8 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for capitulation

Word History

Etymology

see capitulate

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of capitulation was in 1535

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Capitulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capitulation. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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