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
1
: to fall in or down especially from being undermined
—usually used with in
2
: to cease to resist : submit
—usually used with in
: to cause to fall or collapse
—usually used with in
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
Scott Meslow, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
For decades, the Algarve has been beloved for its endless sunny days and dramatic coastlines with its picturesque beaches, craggy cliffs, and hidden caves.
—Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
Brazil’s current president has thus far refused to cave to the pressure, strongly defending his country’s democratic process and rule of law.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cave
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Noun
As the unloved surviving son of a cruel father, he was approached by a wizard who offered him gold to secretly feed a mysterious hedgehog-faced monster in a cave.
—Scott Meslow, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
For decades, the Algarve has been beloved for its endless sunny days and dramatic coastlines with its picturesque beaches, craggy cliffs, and hidden caves.
—Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
The final straw for the City Council came over the summer, when city officials learned that the roof was at risk of caving in because of unpermitted construction work done at the site.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
Brazil’s current president has thus far refused to cave to the pressure, strongly defending his country’s democratic process and rule of law.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cave
Cite this Entry
“Cave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cave. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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