gave ground

phrase

past tense of give ground
as in withdrew
to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable) There is wildlife in the area, so give ground if you see any when hiking.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gave ground
  1. gave way
  2. lost ground
Phrase
  • Following the long catch and run, Mahomes gave way to the backup quarterbacks.
    — Pete Grathoff July 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • Mansions gave way to hotels and condos starting in the 1950s.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
Definition of gave way
Phrase
  • Kotagal highlighted a 2024 report on the tech sector that showed that women had made virtually no gains between 2014 and 2022, and that workers under 40 years old had actually lost ground.
    — Alexandra Olson, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
  • In the first six months of 2026, Russia’s military has struggled to advance and in reality has lost ground in certain sections of the frontlines.
    — Ihor N. Stelmach, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026
Definition of lost ground
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.

Browse Nearby Words

gave birth to
gave ground
gave in
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Cite this Entry

“Gave ground.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gave%20ground. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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