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
Gul Tuysuz, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
Since South Korea is home to hundreds of unexplored caves and close to countries with several pseudoscorpion species, arachnologists were curious what pseudoscorpions could be lurking in these limestone cave systems and lava tubes spread across two extensive mountain ranges.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 9 July 2025
Selome Hailu, Variety, 9 July 2025
That suggests, worryingly, that the TACO trade — the idea that Trump will cave, again and again — has taken hold.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for cave
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Politicians and observers gathered for the ceremony held in the ancient cave of Casene near the town of Sulaymaniyah, where about 30 men and women from the militant group placed their weapons in a large cauldron that was later set on fire.
—Gul Tuysuz, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
Since South Korea is home to hundreds of unexplored caves and close to countries with several pseudoscorpion species, arachnologists were curious what pseudoscorpions could be lurking in these limestone cave systems and lava tubes spread across two extensive mountain ranges.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 9 July 2025
Verb
A lot of cooks experience that, markers that make the experience throughout the night feel like the walls are caving in.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 9 July 2025
That suggests, worryingly, that the TACO trade — the idea that Trump will cave, again and again — has taken hold.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 8 July 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 18 Jul. 2025.
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