1
as in submitting
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control)
he finally succumbed and let his wife get rid of his dilapidated easy chair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in surrendering
to give up and cease resistance (as to a liking, temptation, or habit)
refused to succumb to her fears and defiantly walked through the dark cemetery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dying
to stop living
the patient lay so still and pale that everyone thought he had succumbed, and then he opened his eyes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in falling
to yield to the control or power of enemy forces
the doctor worked tirelessly until finally he, too, succumbed to the fever
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 succumbing
Suddenly, Marjane succumbing to sorrow became achingly comprehensible.
—
Literary Hub, 18 June 2026
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
The scene was possibly part of a hallucination that Rue is having, shortly before she’s seen on the show, succumbing to a fatal fentanyl overdose.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 2 June 2026
This is after a local singer was doused with petrol and set on fire, later succumbing to her injuries.
—ABC News, 1 June 2026
Yet succumbing to hubris is now more dangerous than ever.
—William Pesek, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
They were ejected into all manner of orbits, there to remain for decades before ultimately succumbing to the slow pull of Earth’s gravity at higher altitudes.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 26 May 2026
For example, phone pouches could prevent students from succumbing to the urge to look at their phones.
—Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
Literary Hub, 18 June 2026
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
The scene was possibly part of a hallucination that Rue is having, shortly before she’s seen on the show, succumbing to a fatal fentanyl overdose.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 2 June 2026
This is after a local singer was doused with petrol and set on fire, later succumbing to her injuries.
—ABC News, 1 June 2026
Yet succumbing to hubris is now more dangerous than ever.
—William Pesek, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
They were ejected into all manner of orbits, there to remain for decades before ultimately succumbing to the slow pull of Earth’s gravity at higher altitudes.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 26 May 2026
For example, phone pouches could prevent students from succumbing to the urge to look at their phones.
—Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for succumbing
Verb
-
Chiarella felt the onscreen passion between Bird and Clausen early on, when the pair was just submitting self-tapes.—
William Earl,
Variety,
19 June 2026
-
This data collection is required before submitting a construction permit application to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Sirianni, 45, a hypercompetitive hothead who has conspicuously engaged with players (in Eagles and opposing jerseys), coaches (Eagles and opposing), fans (same) and officials, wants to be a mature person who can rein in his emotions, but not at the expense of surrendering his essence.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Filling this time with meetings (or low-yield tasks) means surrendering the hours best suited for deep work and strategic thinking to reactive demands.—
Cynthia Pong,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Allen plays Roxie, a dying wife and mother who arrives in the trauma bay during the show’s second season.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
17 June 2026
-
Snip the entire stalk, not just the flower head, of individual wilting or dying flowers down to the node so the plant will send out new blooms.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Panama outshot, outpassed and outpossessed Ghana in its first game but came away with nothing after conceding a goal in stoppage time, leaving the Central Americans still looking for their first World Cup win.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
Haiti, ranked 83rd and back in the World Cup after five decades, lost 1-0 to Scotland in a decent performance in its opener, but then was no rival for five-time champion Brazil, conceding three first-half goals before improving to hold its ground in the second half of a 3-0 loss.—
Tales Azzoni,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
Finally, licorice root extract fades discoloration, yielding brighter skin over time.—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
17 June 2026
-
The war brought the metal's safe-haven status into question, as the prospect of higher interest rates made yielding assets, like bonds, more attractive.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
With little money and competitive standards falling, players started leaving Ghana earlier than before, and not always to go to Europe.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Video of the incident shows Backs being confronted and falling backward.—
Joan Murray,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
His coworker once spotted a fan on their knees, bowing toward the entrance gate near the property.—
Leah Willingham,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
-
Season 7 was a huge hit in France, bowing to a 37% share in the 4-14 demographic.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
Authorities have publicly identified four people who lost their lives over the last week in San Diego County traffic crashes, with three of the victims perishing in head-on collisions in the eastern reaches of the region.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
-
Singh raised his second straight half-century off just 23 balls with eight fours and a six while Iyer brought up his fifty of 31 balls and smacked Thakur four two consecutive sixes before perishing when Dhir took a stunning catch at deep mid-wicket.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Succumbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/succumbing. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
