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giving ground

phrase

present participle of give ground
as in retreating
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 giving ground
  1. giving way
  2. losing ground
Phrase
  • Timothy Rogers/Getty Images With Burnley looking more polished in midfield, Moore was largely forced to exist on scraps in the opening hour before giving way to Smith.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The war has unfolded in fits and starts, with bursts of overwhelming American firepower repeatedly giving way to promises that diplomacy might bring it to an end.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of giving way
Phrase
  • The president expressed concern that Hollywood is losing ground to Canada and other countries, and argued new federal tax incentives could bring the industry back to California.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The losses were broad, with nearly every sector within the benchmark S&P 500 losing ground.
    — Damian J. Troise, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of losing 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

giving birth to
giving ground
giving in
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Cite this Entry

“Giving ground.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/giving%20ground. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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