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
-
That proximity to real intimacy without fully succumbing to romantic feelings is so incredibly hot.—
Emily Martin,
Them,
10 Feb. 2025
-
Outie Mark grabs his innie’s tie and ascends, with copies of his innies around them also succumbing to the balloon-head disorder.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Image The Cement Garden By Ian McEwan The premise alone is goose bumps grim: After the death of their mother, four children decide to hide her body in a trunk of cement in their basement and fend for themselves rather than surrender to social workers and foster care.—
M.L. Rio,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2025
-
The right-hander tossed three scoreless innings later that evening against the Boston Red Sox, allowing three hits while striking out four and surrendering no walks to earn the save and help the White Sox snap a 14-game losing streak.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
A week earlier Hosemann had submitted a $326 million tax cut package.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
20 Feb. 2025
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These networks are continually finding new ways to take over clusters of user accounts, exploit vulnerabilities like credit bureau leaks to submit fraudulent loan applications or dupe unsuspecting users into paying for illegitimate products.—
Hank Tucker,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Slot was disappointed his side conceded from a set piece in the 2-2 draw against Aston Villa.—
Sam Lee,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
-
Being forced into a larger coalition, many Christian Democrats and their supporters concede, would almost certainly sap Mr. Merz’s power to push deregulation, tax cuts and other domestic initiatives through Parliament in a bid to boost the economy.—
Jim Tankersley,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The family bowed their heads, made the sign of the cross and prayed.—
Maria Cramer,
New York Times,
16 Feb. 2025
-
That fierce jaw, those full lips, the upper one bowed and sweet — at odds with the mischievous grin tugging at its corners.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
13 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knuckle under.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckle%20under. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.
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