KNUCKLE UNDER Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

knuckle under

verb

Definition of knuckle under

as in to succumb

to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control) encouraged her to stand firm and not knuckle under to political pressure

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to surrender

to yield to the control or power of enemy forces the remote outpost was overrun and forced to knuckle under

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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 knuckle under Some owners show their mettle for a spell, then find adequate reason to knuckle under; others have no intention of even pretending to do what is hard or what is right. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 29 May 2026 Everyone, including the media, knuckles under. — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Feb. 2026 That’s a clear message to others to get in line and knuckle under — or else. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2026 How much of this is a bluff designed to get Senate Democrats to knuckle under and vote to reopen the government and how much of this is wishcasting by MAGA? — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 10 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for knuckle under

Verb

One boy, 12, succumbed to the heat and passed out, with EMS medics and police rushing to help him, according to PIX 11.

— Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 4 July 2026
On Thursday at Wimbledon, a couple of players were unable to do so, succumbing to Nadal’s Law.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 2 July 2026

Definition of succumb

Verb

Kolmogorov wrote the formal proof himself and submitted it for publication with Karatsuba listed as the lead author.

— Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 13 July 2026
He was barred from the ballot paper after Russia’s Supreme Court ruled that more than 9,000 signatures submitted by Nadezhdin’s campaign were invalid — enough to disqualify him.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026

Definition of submit

Verb

Spain didn’t allow a goal in its first five matches at this year's tournament, and goalkeeper Unai Simón hadn’t conceded in a World Cup-record 650 minutes dating to Qatar.

— ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
But to play two knockout matches without conceding even a sniff of a chance is hugely impressive — especially considering Deschamps hasn’t compromised on his unusually daring approach of using four proper attackers.

— Michael Cox, New York Times, 10 July 2026