1
as in succumbs
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in surrenders
to yield to the control or power of enemy forces
the remote outpost was overrun and forced to knuckle under
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 knuckles under
Everyone, including the media, knuckles under.
—
Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knuckles under
Verb
-
But her character succumbs to Ducournau’s convoluted plotting.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The 11-year-old titular character in Hamnet, up for Best Picture, succumbs to the plague.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Robert Simmons surrenders to police following a seven-hour standoff.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
But Trump on Friday said that the United States wouldn’t end the war until Iran surrenders unconditionally.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The goal is usually to claim a refund before the real taxpayer submits their return.—
Roxanne Downer,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Enrollment begins when an applicant engages with the online application and submits information for review under Lifeline participation requirements.—
Ascend Agency,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This day in sports history 1913 — Jim Thorpe gives up his track medals from the 1912 Olympic games as a result of his having been a professional.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
That extra pick could also be helpful if the Braves were to sign a free agent who turned down a qualifying offer from his former team, in which case the signing team gives up a draft pick to the team from which the player got the QO.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Even the manager concedes that health questions hover over every member of his prospective rotation.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Oosterhoff concedes that psychiatric diagnoses and prognoses are inherently less certain than those of physical illnesses.—
Charles Lane,
The Atlantic,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The film bows in Berlin’s Perspectives section.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Inside, surrounded by butter lamps and intricate iconography, even my skeptical husband bows before the Buddha.—
Shunali Khullar Shroff,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knuckles under.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckles%20under. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
