knuckling under

verb

present participle of knuckle under
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

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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
  1. succumbing
  2. surrendering
  3. submitting
  4. giving up
  5. giving in
  6. conceding
  7. bowing
Verb
  • Short enough to read in a single sitting, Sara Gran’s chilling story of an architect succumbing to demonic possession will leave readers stunned and unsettled.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Making a brief trip to his native Gotham before production of his next movie begins, Matt makes the mistake of succumbing to the advances of a gorgeous young woman on the dance floor of a nightclub.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of succumbing
Verb
  • The Steel Curtain is back, surrendering just six TD passes all season.
    — Bill Reinhard, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Tehran fears that surrendering its maritime leverage first would invite fresh demands; Washington worries that easing pressure would reward coercion without securing lasting constraints on Iran’s nuclear program.
    — Ali Vaez, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of surrendering
Verb
  • Vereb, 72, appeared at the Allegheny County Courthouse on Thursday, submitting a guilty plea after being accused of defrauding thousands of pet owners over several years while operating funeral homes in Hazelwood and Harrison Township.
    — Meghan Schiller, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Malek also faces charges for allegedly submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications in 2021.
    — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of submitting
Verb
  • Many of them are designed to appeal to Mac users who are looking for cheaper Studio Display alternatives without giving up the pixel-dense 218ppi screen.
    — Cameron Faulkner, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Yes, that same Mason from the premiere who Ge-Z stared Daisy into giving up a leather trench coat.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of giving up
Verb
  • Critical response was mixed with even the positive write-ups criticizing Beck for giving in to his most emotionally empty impulses.
    — Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Petersen said at the time that the city was giving in to blackmail from the business community.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of giving in
Verb
  • In 2025, de Leest was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year after conceding 19 goals in 21 games, including six clean sheets.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Hollywood executives at a panel featuring UTA, Gold House, Lionsgate and HYBE saw an opening for Asian talent and stories rooted in specific cultures, while conceding that getting projects funded is still a struggle.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of conceding
Verb
  • For her first collection, bowing for resort, she was inspired by Borgo Filograna and its surrounding landscapes.
    — Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The film picked up the Heart of Eurasia Award after bowing in Busan.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of bowing
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.

Browse Nearby Words

knuckling down (to)
knuckling under
knuckling under (to)
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Cite this Entry

“Knuckling under.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckling%20under. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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