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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The Spurs got off just three field goal attempts while succumbing to the Knicks’ defensive pressure.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
4 June 2026 -
Avoid succumbing to a conspiracy theory or problematic spiritual philosophy as Mercury and Neptune square off.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Negotiators were able to contact O'Brien via phone, eventually leading to his surrendering himself.—
Reg Chapman,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
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The 49ers did it in March, surrendering a third-round draft pick to the Dallas Cowboys, who had a surplus of starting defensive tackles after last season’s trades for Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Should the center end up with 40 hours of weekly operation, staff and CRG members would be tasked with submitting a proposal on how to use the hours.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
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Reporting teams have held back on submitting story pitches about important news topics out of fear of the internal repercussions.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Jordan Ayala of Norco retired the first 10 batters and had six strikeouts without giving up a hit.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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Soto had the only two hits of the night for the Mets against Peréz (3-6), who retired eight straight after giving up the home run.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
23 May 2026
Verb
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Marquee continues to draw big DJs and bottle-service crowds, giving in-house partiers a straightforward, elevator-ride-away nightlife option.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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Many aging auteurs seem mentally caught between honoring their artistic legacy and giving in to the risky promise of AI that’s tempting (and, in some cases, directly financing) almost everyone in the media right now.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
31 May 2026
Verb
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And the data made for bleak reading given Liverpool’s slow starts and habit of conceding damaging late goals, which pointed to issues with both fitness and mentality.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
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With more than eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of Game 4, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson pulled his starters, effectively conceding the series as the Knicks turned the final minutes into a celebration.—
Alejandro Avila,
FOXNews.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
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The owner, Kenneth Howell has been locked in an acrimonious battle with the city of Boise for years, after Boise staff raised concerns over temporary shoring posts bowing under the building’s weight and a crumbling facade, among other safety issues staff highlighted.—
Darin Oswald,
Idaho Statesman,
3 June 2026
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Target, too, recently found itself in the cultural crosshairs after bowing to external pressure to scrap its DEI policies.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
3 June 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 11 Jun. 2026.
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