as in surrender
the usually forced yielding of one's person or possessions to the control of another
her sudden capitulation surprised everyone; she usually debated for hours
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Recent Examples of capitulation
For Democrats, that reassessment veers towards capitulation.
—
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
And yet, the most iconic automaker’s first four-seater four-door—and tallest vehicle ever—sure came across as a capitulation to customer demand amid the rampant success of Lamborghini’s Urus, Aston Martin’s DBX, Rolls-Royce’s Cullinan and Bentley’s Bentayga.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The most politically profitable stance would be capitulation.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Any compromise on those fronts would be seen as nothing short of outright capitulation to American demands.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for capitulation
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
And yet, the most iconic automaker’s first four-seater four-door—and tallest vehicle ever—sure came across as a capitulation to customer demand amid the rampant success of Lamborghini’s Urus, Aston Martin’s DBX, Rolls-Royce’s Cullinan and Bentley’s Bentayga.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The most politically profitable stance would be capitulation.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Any compromise on those fronts would be seen as nothing short of outright capitulation to American demands.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for capitulation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for capitulation
Noun
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The Celtics score six more points per game (116) than the Rockets surrender (110).—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
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The firm’s lawyers also stood by the congresswoman’s side after her surrender last November and at subsequent hearings where she was scheduled to be arraigned.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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With their vaunted defense, the Seahawks grabbed the Patriots and squeezed them into submission.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Walker, a fourth-year pro, rushed for a game-high 135 yards as Seattle’s offense did enough to let its defense smother New England into submission.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Capitulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/capitulation. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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