1
as in collapsing
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 succumbing
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 caving (in)
Verb
-
It was abandoned in 1961 and nature took its course, with brambles spreading and structures collapsing.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
7 May 2026 -
The problem is those roofs cannot go too low without the roof potentially collapsing, creating fire and explosion risks.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Regretfully, locally foxgloves only last through spring and early summer before succumbing to the heat and humidity of the hot months.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
-
Mullins, 26, died on the floor of the store, succumbing to his wounds before paramedics arrived.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Or the same thing with going out and having a good time with your friends and having a few drinks.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
8 May 2026
-
There was a beauty in this ritual, going out and not feeling shame about getting a hair transplant while getting reacquainted with my heritage.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Council member Abbie Kamin, one of three members who had pushed for the ordinance, voted against amending it, saying that doing so was giving in to bullying tactics from state leaders.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
But unlike many of Warhol’s other victims, Duchamp doesn’t cave to the torture, because giving in would imply defeat.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This week, Bonta joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general from mainly Democratic states submitting a comment letter to the Postal Service outlining their opposition.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
People can also apply for SNAP by downloading a paper application and submitting it in person at a service center.—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Most of her friends didn’t have dates, though Maple was going with a girl named Sasha, and Sloane was going with Leo, a boy from their grade.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
These kind of abuses mean that the department isn't going after oil companies that are price gouging.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
Moses Moody scored 23 points before crumpling to the floor with an apparently serious left knee injury late in overtime as the Golden State Warriors beat Dallas 137-131 on Monday night, extending the Mavericks' home losing streak to 12 games, their longest in 32 years.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Late on, with the game already won, James Garner and substitute Merlin Rohl chased Enzo Fernandez, sending him crumpling to the turf.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The company's revenue for the period was in-line with expectations, but weaker-than-expected operating income guidance for the current quarter sent shares tumbling.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Of My Own Making opens when, after a decade of productive therapy, Burke discovers a photo of the car accident that took her beloved grandmother’s life, and thirty years of unprocessed grief and trauma come tumbling out.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 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
“Caving (in).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caving%20%28in%29. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
