give ground

phrase

Definition of give groundnext
as in withdraw
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

Relevance

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 give ground Even so, the middle generations are the least willing to give ground. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026 The party working against the tighter clock is the one who will give ground first. — Cynthia Pong, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 Why would Sanders’ movement look at those facts, then give ground in Maine? — David Weigel, semafor.com, 8 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for give ground
  1. give way
  2. lose ground
Phrase
  • Another major collapse occurred at the provincial government headquarters in Coclé, where an entire side of the building gave way, exposing the offices inside.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
  • During the holidays in particular, shoppers are open to trying something new as routines give way to discovery.
    — Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of give way
Phrase
  • The gap between imports and exports hit $100 billion in August, a sign that Trump is losing ground on a signature policy.
    — Joel Mathis, TheWeek, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Polls show the party losing ground with those voters and facing unexpectedly tight contests across Texas, including in Paxton’s Senate race and several House districts.
    — Katherine Doyle, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of lose ground

Browse Nearby Words

give birth to
give ground
give in
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Give ground.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/give%20ground. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of galore

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All