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
Former New York Jets linebacker Darron Lee has been arrested and charged in the murder of his girlfriend, who was found brutalized at a home in Tennessee on Thursday before succumbing to her injuries.
—
Jami Ganz, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
Former New York Jets linebacker Darron Lee has been arrested and charged in the murder of his girlfriend, who was found brutalized at a home in Tennessee on Thursday before succumbing to her injuries.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
After falling behind the times and succumbing to foreclosure, Buckhead’s largest office complex is about to undergo some major changes.
—Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The lack of bone healing at the clavicle shows that the boy likely suffered with his injuries for days before succumbing to them.
—Sara Novak, Scientific American, 27 Jan. 2026
The novel lovingly depicts a family succumbing to the pressures of an open marriage, teenage rebellion, and home ownership.
—Chloe Schama, Vogue, 24 Jan. 2026
The man was pronounced dead at the hospital after succumbing to his injuries, according to police.
—Kelsey Brown, San Antonio Express-News, 4 Jan. 2026
After temporarily succumbing to one of his deeply seductive illusions, the Big Other urges him to stop dreaming.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025
Your future self will thank you for pausing, budgeting, and deciding whether an item truly adds value or is simply succumbing to social pressure.
—Essence, 15 Dec. 2025
Jami Ganz, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
Former New York Jets linebacker Darron Lee has been arrested and charged in the murder of his girlfriend, who was found brutalized at a home in Tennessee on Thursday before succumbing to her injuries.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
After falling behind the times and succumbing to foreclosure, Buckhead’s largest office complex is about to undergo some major changes.
—Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The lack of bone healing at the clavicle shows that the boy likely suffered with his injuries for days before succumbing to them.
—Sara Novak, Scientific American, 27 Jan. 2026
The novel lovingly depicts a family succumbing to the pressures of an open marriage, teenage rebellion, and home ownership.
—Chloe Schama, Vogue, 24 Jan. 2026
The man was pronounced dead at the hospital after succumbing to his injuries, according to police.
—Kelsey Brown, San Antonio Express-News, 4 Jan. 2026
After temporarily succumbing to one of his deeply seductive illusions, the Big Other urges him to stop dreaming.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025
Your future self will thank you for pausing, budgeting, and deciding whether an item truly adds value or is simply succumbing to social pressure.
—Essence, 15 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for succumbing
Verb
-
Wright is looking forward to submitting her film to other film festivals after being a part of Balentine’s local series.—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Both said they were not contacted by the committee after submitting their complaints.—
Emma Murphy,
Oklahoma Voice,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Despite surrendering a two-goal lead in the third period, the Panthers got the edge in the shootout with a winning goal from Brad Marchand.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Meekly surrendering the Carabao Cup over two legs against Manchester City 11 months later underlines the still-pending nature of their transformation into an elite outfit.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The least massive stars take an enormous amount of time to burn through their fuel, living as red dwarfs and dying as white dwarfs, before fading away to black after roughly a quadrillion years pass.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Closer proximity of cytotoxic T cells with dying brain tumor cells was associated with longer patient survival after treatment.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
There were a few boos at the 32-year-old German’s substitutions and at the end of a 2-1 defeat from 1-0 up at Fulham, a few more after conceding a 97th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 home draw with Everton.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
His hybrid was designed to preserve the elegance and smooth operation of electric motors while conceding the practical power and range that fuel offered.—
Bill Gourgey,
Popular Science,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Home country figure skaters also have cause to celebrate, with Italian Matteo Rizzo’s emotional skate to an Interstellar medley yielding a rousing performance.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Resting allows the flour to hydrate, the dough to firm up, and the flavors to meld and deepen, yielding superior results.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Two months later, the appointment of another nominee, Keith Fountain, failed in a 5-4 decision of the Board of Directors, falling one short of the six votes necessary to confirm him.—
Joseph Flaherty,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As the national anthem played following their victories, Smith and Carlos expressed their anger about racial injustice in America by bowing their heads and raising their fists.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
For its inaugural issue bowing in Saturday, the magazine tapped Naomi Campbell as cover star.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The goo stops them from perishing, and the two embrace in a hug.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
26 Dec. 2025
-
Many researchers also hypothesize that aviation trailblazer Earhart did not crash her plane at sea, but instead landed and was stranded on Nikumaroro Island, later perishing there.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
10 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Succumbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/succumbing. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
