1
as in to succumb
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control)
encouraged her to stand firm and not knuckle under to political pressure
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to surrender
to yield to the control or power of enemy forces
the remote outpost was overrun and forced to knuckle under
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of knuckle under
Of course, Cruz knuckled under a little while later.
—
James Hohmann, Washington Post, 9 July 2024
Miraculously, however, it is told in the voice of a musician, Rainy, a man who refuses to knuckle under and whose tones remain kind and more hopeful than despairing.
—Katherine A. Powers, Washington Post, 22 June 2024
Biden is all too willing to knuckle under both to the environmentalists who want to stop any new conventional-energy development and to the labor bosses who don’t want to see the ports modernized and automated, which might eat into their discretionary funds.
—The Editors, National Review, 23 June 2022
Please do not knuckle under.
—Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 25 Oct. 2021
His determination to hold on to his dignity, to not knuckle under, marked a pathway for our family to move forward, to expand on what he’d not been allowed to do.
—Deborah Johnson, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Feb. 2023
As noted in this space in 2015, the company required participants in its Times Journeys program — pricey overseas trips guided by Times journalists — to knuckle under to an arbitration clause.
—Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 24 Dec. 2022
Europe’s governing parties can’t knuckle under to Russian blackmail and retain their democratic viability.
—Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ, 30 Aug. 2022
His bile aimed at the Sulzberger family stems above all from the paper’s coverage and criticism of him, its refusal to knuckle under.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 21 Dec. 2021
James Hohmann, Washington Post, 9 July 2024
Miraculously, however, it is told in the voice of a musician, Rainy, a man who refuses to knuckle under and whose tones remain kind and more hopeful than despairing.
—Katherine A. Powers, Washington Post, 22 June 2024
Biden is all too willing to knuckle under both to the environmentalists who want to stop any new conventional-energy development and to the labor bosses who don’t want to see the ports modernized and automated, which might eat into their discretionary funds.
—The Editors, National Review, 23 June 2022
Please do not knuckle under.
—Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 25 Oct. 2021
His determination to hold on to his dignity, to not knuckle under, marked a pathway for our family to move forward, to expand on what he’d not been allowed to do.
—Deborah Johnson, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Feb. 2023
As noted in this space in 2015, the company required participants in its Times Journeys program — pricey overseas trips guided by Times journalists — to knuckle under to an arbitration clause.
—Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 24 Dec. 2022
Europe’s governing parties can’t knuckle under to Russian blackmail and retain their democratic viability.
—Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ, 30 Aug. 2022
His bile aimed at the Sulzberger family stems above all from the paper’s coverage and criticism of him, its refusal to knuckle under.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 21 Dec. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knuckle under
Verb
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All the Sumerian cities of Mesopotamia succumbed to the same fate and were conquered by Sargon.—
Francesca Aton,
ARTnews.com,
20 Mar. 2025
-
An estimated 1,323 Californians have succumbed to the flu as of the week ending March 8, including 19 children.—
Harriet Blair Rowan,
The Mercury News,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Eight others have had their certifications temporarily suspended, and three officers voluntarily surrendered their licenses.—
Libor Jany,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2025
-
On Thursday, Ehrlich surrendered himself to authorities at the Lakewood Township Police headquarters before being transported to Ocean County Jail, where he’s currently being held, according to prosecutor Bradley Billhimer.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Robert Farley, chief of the North Bergen Police Department, is the focus of several notices to sue that were submitted by officers to the Township of North Bergen — which the first step in filing a complaint against an employer in the state — according to documents obtained by PEOPLE.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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In the Senate, there were seven testimonies submitted favoring SB 399, including a letter from NextEra Energy Transmission MidAtlantic in support of is project to build the MidAtlantic Resiliency Link transmission line.—
Noël Fletcher,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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However, Barcelona have scored 20 goals more than Real Madrid in the first 29 league games of the season, while also conceding one goal fewer.—
Sam Leveridge,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
-
The Dyer and Sheehan conceded there was no consensus.—
Chelsea Cantilli,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Also Board 2025 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming Produced by Imagine Documentaries, the series bows Sunday on linear Nat Geo before a next-day streaming premiere on Disney+ and Hulu.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
21 Mar. 2025
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Holding a bouquet of yellow roses, the six-time Emmy Award nominee, 45, bowed to thunderous applause from the enthusiastic crowd, including his former The Little Mermaid costars Sierra Boggess and Sherie Rene Scott.—
Dave Quinn,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knuckle under.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckle%20under. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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