succumb

verb

sə-ˈkəm How to pronounce succumb (audio)
Definition of succumbnext
1
as in to submit
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 to surrender
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 to die
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 to capitulate
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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb succumb differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of succumb are capitulate, defer, relent, submit, and yield. While all these words mean "to give way to someone or something that one can no longer resist," succumb implies weakness and helplessness to the one that gives way or an overwhelming power to the opposing force.

a stage actor succumbing to the lure of Hollywood

When could capitulate be used to replace succumb?

Although the words capitulate and succumb have much in common, capitulate stresses the fact of ending all resistance and may imply either a coming to terms (as with an adversary) or hopelessness in the face of an irresistible opposing force.

officials capitulated to the protesters' demands

In what contexts can defer take the place of succumb?

While in some cases nearly identical to succumb, defer implies a voluntary yielding or submitting out of respect or reverence for or deference and affection toward another.

I defer to your expertise in these matters

When is relent a more appropriate choice than succumb?

The words relent and succumb are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, relent implies a yielding through pity or mercy by one who holds the upper hand.

finally relented and let the children stay up late

Where would submit be a reasonable alternative to succumb?

The synonyms submit and succumb are sometimes interchangeable, but submit suggests full surrendering after resistance or conflict to the will or control of another.

a repentant sinner vowing to submit to the will of God

When would yield be a good substitute for succumb?

The meanings of yield and succumb largely overlap; however, yield may apply to any sort or degree of giving way before force, argument, persuasion, or entreaty.

yields too easily in any argument

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 succumb Fish from Toyosu Market in Tokyo and Australian Wagyu from Florida-local purveyors succumb to the team’s technique in sauce and consommé and on-bone braising. —Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025 The Indian skipper eventually succumbed to Connolly who showed great character after his difficult batting effort. —Tim Ellis, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025 Or will the center of the universe succumb to a snarling, fire-breathing beast? —Eric Francisco, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2025 The victims were transported to a local hospital, where Ms. Garner succumbed to her injuries shortly after arrival. —Mark Price, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for succumb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for succumb
  1. submit
  2. surrender
  3. die
  4. concede
  5. yield
  6. perish
  7. budge
  8. fall
Verb
  • Details of the encounter are scant — laid out in a narrative that runs less than two pages in an affidavit for an arrest warrant that Escondido police submitted last month.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2025
  • State insurance regulators require companies to submit financial reports regularly, which include details about assets, liabilities, and claims reserves.
    — True Tamplin, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of submit
Verb
  • The Nets also surrendered three straight 3-pointers to Vincent, Luka Doncic and Dalton Knecht over the final 2:29 of the third quarter.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2025
  • After an hour, the man surrendered to police but bit an officer on the arm, police said.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of surrender
Verb
  • Michelle is morally and ethically confused, but decides that the greater good of the world depends on her brother dying.
    — Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The weather changed with the seasons; crops were planted and harvested; festivals were celebrated; people were born, aged and died, all predictably.
    — James Byrne, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of die
Verb
  • Afterwards, Farke conceded he had been tempted to start Gnonto in Aaronson’s place.
    — Beren Cross, The Athletic, 19 Mar. 2025
  • In November, Zelenskyy conceded not all territory could be won back by force and may have to remain under de facto Russian control after a settlement.
    — arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of concede
Verb
  • This approach has yielded remarkable discoveries, yet the vastness of potential chemical, biological, and physical interactions means that even our brightest minds can only explore a fraction of possibilities.
    — Greg Licholai MD, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Clara, Stan, Bill, Bianca, and Emily may yield power in their own corners of the world, but Moretti's seeds spread further, and their journalism is his vessel for that.
    — Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of yield
Verb
  • Twenty-seven people perished, including the Minch family.
    — Todd Richmond, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025
  • After the 17th Mickey is presumed to have perished in an ice cave, an 18th is prematurely printed out, leading to a duplicate situation that’s supposed to result in the automatic execution of all copies.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of perish
Verb
  • However, Trump’s trade team doesn’t seem to be budging, per sources close to New Delhi.
    — Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The Russell 2000 index tracking small-cap stocks is down 17% from its post-election high and has hardly budged since the end of 2020, while large caps have enjoyed stronger gains for the last two years.
    — Hank Tucker, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of budge
Verb
  • After this, oil production will fall, albeit slowly toward 2050, as decarbonization proceeds and more electric vehicles take to the roads.
    — Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Gas prices continued to fall throughout the nation on Tuesday, bringing financial relief to people in the country as consumer prices rise in other areas.
    — Washington Examiner Staff, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of fall

Browse Nearby Words

succumb
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Succumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/succumb. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on succumb

Nglish: Translation of succumb for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All