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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Almost 10 years after Jackie Collins succumbed to breast cancer at age 77, a Beverly Hills trophy estate best known as the longtime home of the bestselling British romance novelist and younger sister of actress Dame Joan Collins has popped up for sale with a substantial $66 million price tag.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
30 Jan. 2025
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Firefighters extricated the woman and transported her to the hospital, where she was treated but later succumbed to her injuries.—
Ryan Macasero,
The Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The purge intensified Monday when, according to the New York Times, former IG office staffers were directed to surrender to their agencies work laptops, phones, parking decals, and ID cards.—
Andrew C. McCarthy,
National Review,
1 Feb. 2025
-
District Attorney Tony Clayton told The Associated Press that the mother surrendered to police on Friday.—
SARA CLINE AND GEOFF MULVIHILL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
arkansasonline.com,
1 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Prior to Donald Trump’s inauguration as president, digital-currency exchange Crypto.com submitted a similar filing to tap into sports betting.—
Stuart Dyos,
Fortune,
25 Jan. 2025
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To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.—
Karen Mockler,
The Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Jupiter tied the match at 1-1 on Hole 6 when Boston conceded a birdie, but went behind again on Hole 10 when Woods took too long to take a shot – the first shot clock violation in TGL history – and the resulting one-stroke penalty handed the point to the Common.—
Jamie Barton,
CNN,
28 Jan. 2025
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That led to them conceding as momentum seeped away from them.—
Art de Roché,
The Athletic,
25 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Lin is back in Park City for the first time since his breakout film, Better Luck Tomorrow, bowed at Sundance in 2002.—
Mia Galuppo,
The Hollywood Reporter,
23 Jan. 2025
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Despite headwinds, the brand has been resilient and is gearing up for the opening of a new flagship in Paris next month, following units that bowed last year in Hamburg, Germany, and Lyon, France.—
Luisa Zargani,
WWD,
21 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near knuckle under
Cite this Entry
“Knuckle under.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckle%20under. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.
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