1
as in succumbs
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control)
one side finally capitulated when it became clear that they couldn't win the argument
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in surrenders
to yield to the control or power of enemy forces
the city reluctantly capitulated to the invaders after a three-day siege
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Recent Examples of capitulates
Pythons are constrictors, known to grip prey in their jaws, coil around it, then squeeze until the victim capitulates.
—
Mark Price, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2025
Mark Price, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for capitulates
Verb
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If someone succumbs to the heat, promptly relocate them to a cool, shaded location.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
23 Sep. 2025
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When Day succumbs to his wounds, Dusk seizes the vacuum, claiming Hari Seldon’s psychohistory crystal.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Dallas has given up the most passing yards in the league, and their secondary surrenders lots of open windows.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
24 Oct. 2025
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Hamas asserts control Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that the war cannot end until Hamas surrenders its weapons and cedes control of Gaza, a demand the fighters have rejected.—
Maayan Lubell,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Currently, federal law only guarantees a cow’s milk substitute—such as fortified soy milk—if a parent submits a physician’s note documenting a disability.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Oct. 2025
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The city’s existing process has design work being completed either by city engineers or outside architects before a contractor is chosen — a decision based on which contractor submits the lowest bid.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Despite the advances in AI, Duan concedes that early domestic CAE software lagged behind foreign competitors in several areas.—
Ni Tao,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Oct. 2025
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An Alford plea is one in which a defendant admits no guilt, but concedes that prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction.—
Chris Ramirez,
jsonline.com,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Capitulates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/capitulates. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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