capitulation
noun
ca·pit·u·la·tion
kə-ˌpi-chə-ˈlā-shən 
1
: a set of terms or articles (see article sense 1c) constituting an agreement between governments
2
a
: the act of surrendering or yielding
the capitulation of the defenders of the besieged town
b
: the terms of surrender
Examples of capitulation in a Sentence
her sudden capitulation surprised everyone; she usually debated for hours
Recent Examples on the Web
But the events following the team’s late capitulation in a 3-2 defeat at Brighton last month feel appropriate.
—
Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Voices Hiltzik: Columbia University’s capitulation to Trump puts academic freedom at risk coast to coast
March 27, 2025
But here’s the punch line: Target’s sales have cratered, at least in part because consumers were angry about its reversals.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
Many of the Indian prime minister’s followers felt that allowing the Trump administration to broker a deal was a humiliation and a capitulation to a foreign power.
—Vaibhav Vats, The Atlantic, 21 May 2025
His capitulation could serve as a powerful signal to other holdouts in traditional finance.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for capitulation
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.
Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Voices Hiltzik: Columbia University’s capitulation to Trump puts academic freedom at risk coast to coast
March 27, 2025
But here’s the punch line: Target’s sales have cratered, at least in part because consumers were angry about its reversals.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
Many of the Indian prime minister’s followers felt that allowing the Trump administration to broker a deal was a humiliation and a capitulation to a foreign power.
—Vaibhav Vats, The Atlantic, 21 May 2025
His capitulation could serve as a powerful signal to other holdouts in traditional finance.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for capitulation
Cite this Entry
“Capitulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capitulation. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share