KNUCKLES UNDER Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

knuckles under

verb

present tense third-person singular of knuckle under

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

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as in surrenders

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

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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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for knuckles under

Verb

Ayad Akhtar’s new novel, The Radiance, sometimes succumbs to this temptation.

— Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Wolf succumbs to Shura, a demonic force in the game’s mythology that possesses those who give in to bloodlust.

— Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of succumbs

Verb

After five books that try to interpret Elizabeth Taylor, Waters simply surrenders to the vision.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
Meanwhile, the Harford County Humane Society tells CBS News Baltimore there have been 140 owner surrenders through the county's animal control this summer, which is double last summer's total.

— Tara Lynch, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of surrenders

Verb

Thankfully, there’s still time to overhaul the CTP before the Moore administration submits its final plan to the General Assembly in January.

— Brian O'Malley, Baltimore Sun, 28 Sep. 2026
The controversial budget maneuver occurs when a president submits a request to Congress to block funding so close to the end of the fiscal year that the funds can expire before Congress receives the full 45-day consideration period under the law.

— Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of submits

Verb

The king arbitrarily gives up his power and divides his kingdom among his children.

— Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
In June, the NCAA adopted a new D-I model that generally gives up to five years of eligibility, allowing athletes to stay in college longer and therefore creating fewer roster openings.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of gives up

Verb

But copying human anatomy makes the hands heavier, and LinkerBot concedes that fingertip force is modest.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2026
Shapiro eventually concedes that good-faith developers are at the Homer City campus, something that earns a broad smile from Steffee, exhausted by the politics.

— Salena Zito, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of concedes

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“Knuckles under.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckles%20under. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of knuckles under

verb

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