1
as in succumbs
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control)
one side finally capitulated when it became clear that they couldn't win the argument
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in surrenders
to yield to the control or power of enemy forces
the city reluctantly capitulated to the invaders after a three-day siege
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of capitulates
Pythons are constrictors, known to grip prey in their jaws, coil around it, then squeeze until the victim capitulates.
—
Mark Price, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2025
Mark Price, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for capitulates
Verb
-
And when that fish, in turn, succumbs to the claws of a bald eagle, its DDT dense meat becomes a poisonous lunch for an oblivious bird.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The community's willingness to proactively strengthen its economic foundations today will determine whether crypto fulfills its promise as robust, trusted global infrastructure, or succumbs when faced with inevitable systemic stress.—
Mark R. Weaver,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Henry then surrenders his phone, and Tony tosses it into the air for Ziva to blast to pieces.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
China no longer submits data to the TOP500, keeping the true scale of its systems a mystery.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Every guest submits dietary forms in advance, and the kitchen holds substitutions for almost everything.—
Lela London,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Langley concedes that no company can outdo DJI—for now.—
Thomas Brewster,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Struppa, 70, concedes that choosing administration three decades ago came with tradeoffs.—
Hanna Kang,
Oc Register,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Capitulates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/capitulates. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share