1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
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Recent Examples of knuckle under
Countries that didn’t knuckle under — and those that found other ways to incur Trump’s wrath — got hit harder.
—
Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2025
But in an era when entertainment companies, along with politicians and seemingly everyone else, race to knuckle under to Trump's bullying and litigious tactics, the episode is still a shock.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 July 2025
Over time, Congress knuckled under, banning Chinese and limiting Italians and Jews with country-of-origin quotas rigged against them.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2025
The front lines of our legal edifice have been divided and conquered, with premier law firms knuckling under and meekly promising to shut up and work for Trump, while the Supreme Court carefully pulls its punches to avoid a showdown.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
Of course, Cruz knuckled under a little while later.
—James Hohmann, Washington Post, 9 July 2024
Biden is all too willing to knuckle under both to the environmentalists who want to stop any new conventional-energy development and to the labor bosses who don’t want to see the ports modernized and automated, which might eat into their discretionary funds.
—The Editors, National Review, 23 June 2022
Please do not knuckle under.
—Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 25 Oct. 2021
Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2025
But in an era when entertainment companies, along with politicians and seemingly everyone else, race to knuckle under to Trump's bullying and litigious tactics, the episode is still a shock.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 July 2025
Over time, Congress knuckled under, banning Chinese and limiting Italians and Jews with country-of-origin quotas rigged against them.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2025
The front lines of our legal edifice have been divided and conquered, with premier law firms knuckling under and meekly promising to shut up and work for Trump, while the Supreme Court carefully pulls its punches to avoid a showdown.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
Of course, Cruz knuckled under a little while later.
—James Hohmann, Washington Post, 9 July 2024
Biden is all too willing to knuckle under both to the environmentalists who want to stop any new conventional-energy development and to the labor bosses who don’t want to see the ports modernized and automated, which might eat into their discretionary funds.
—The Editors, National Review, 23 June 2022
Please do not knuckle under.
—Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 25 Oct. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knuckle under
Verb
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Facio, who also was hospitalized, succumbed to his injuries on June 8 — six days after he was shot in the face.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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The men in green were dominated from the start and eventually succumbed to the pressure, unable to even cross the 100-run mark.—
Paras J. Haji,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Civale surrendered five earned runs in 4 2/3 innings Wednesday.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Simpson surrendered five hits and two walks, and registered one out, allowing seven runs in the 11-2 Marlins loss at loanDepot park.—
Steve Gorten,
Miami Herald,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Only 127 of Indiana's 351 public school districts — or 36% — submitted mandatory injury data for the statewide report.—
IndyStar,
IndyStar,
3 Sep. 2025
-
It was seemingly first posted by an Instagram account called Washingtonian Problems (@washingtonianprobs), which said it was submitted anonymously by one of its members.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Executives concede that Toronto isn’t attracting the kind of wall-to-wall media attention that Cannes and Venice deliver.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Baker ended up with the worst figures for an English debutant, conceding 76 runs from seven overs.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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From stern to bow, the boat was a lesson in restrained elegance, with plenty of teak wood and muted, calming shades.—
Rachel Wallace,
Architectural Digest,
4 Sep. 2025
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David Michôd directs the film, which will bow at the Toronto International Film Festival.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knuckle under.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckle%20under. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.
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