1
as in succumbing
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 surrendering
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knuckling under
Verb
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And then Malinin, 21, imploded in a shocking collapse, succumbing to the enormous pressure of his first Winter Games and finishing an incomprehensible eighth.—
Bora Erden,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2026 -
Her elder two sisters died at 10 and 11; her sister Anne at 29; her ne’er-do-well brother Branwell at 31; and Charlotte at the ripe age of 38—all succumbing to tuberculosis.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The suspect pulled over to the side of the freeway near the 101 Freeway northbound before surrendering to CHP officers.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
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Picking up his fourth and fifth strikeouts of the afternoon and inducing a soft ground ball, Dylan Volantis completed his fifth inning of work without surrendering a hit.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Wright is looking forward to submitting her film to other film festivals after being a part of Balentine’s local series.—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
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Both said they were not contacted by the committee after submitting their complaints.—
Emma Murphy,
Oklahoma Voice,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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What is clear is that Oklahoma has become a central player in a national strategy that treats detention not as a means of ensuring public safety, but as an end in itself, a system designed to pressure immigrants into giving up their legal claims and leaving the country voluntarily.—
Ben Fenwick,
Oklahoma Watch,
13 Feb. 2026
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And as the number of pets goes up, many people wind up giving up their animal, overcrowding shelters.—
Margret Grebowicz,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Why travelers are giving in to fees.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
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For anyone still soaking up the flavors of fresh peaches before giving in to pumpkin spice, check your produce drawer.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In Kuwait, Marseille turned in an impressive performance and were leading PSG 2-1, before conceding a 95th-minute equaliser.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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Trump won reelection in 2024 without ever conceding his defeat in 2020.—
Michael Scherer,
The Atlantic,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As the national anthem played following their victories, Smith and Carlos expressed their anger about racial injustice in America by bowing their heads and raising their fists.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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For its inaugural issue bowing in Saturday, the magazine tapped Naomi Campbell as cover star.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
14 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Knuckling under.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckling%20under. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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