1
as in to collapse
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure
the wall caved in when a tree fell on it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to succumb
to give up and cease resistance (as to a liking, temptation, or habit)
I caved in to my bibliomania and bought two more books last week
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cave (in)
Verb
-
The activity periodically forms a dome over the main vent, which eventually collapses, causing an eruption.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Jan. 2026 -
McDearmond knew without Hannah's help, the criminal case against Brian would likely collapse.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As a result, they’re almost guaranteed to succumb to dehydration within just a few hours.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Others gain freedom, only to succumb to longstanding health issues that were never addressed properly in prison.—
Yosha Gunasekera,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Third-quarter tax bills went out to homeowners earlier this month.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Despite all the off-field nonsense around him the last few seasons, going out with a humbling 30-6 loss to the Texans feels like a bummer.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Costco also submitted a traffic-impact analysis by Boise consulting firm Kittelson & Associates, indicating the development would generate just shy of 7,000 new vehicle trips per day.—
Rose Evans
January 8,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The city reversed course and put the matter out to bid but ultimately rejected a proposal by Nikki Beach after saying its representatives missed a deadline to submit documents.—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Most of them go deep into the memory vault of childhood, recalling fishing trips and family gatherings.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Nordstrom Lucky Brand Fair Isle Shawl-Collar Cardigan Both Lopez’s and Hudson’s sweaters appear to be from Polo Ralph Lauren (the former’s looks like this one that's no longer available, while the latter’s resembles this one that goes for $798).—
Alyssa Grabinski,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Cave (in).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cave%20%28in%29. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
