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
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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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Recent Examples of knuckle under
The front lines of our legal edifice have been divided and conquered, with premier law firms knuckling under and meekly promising to shut up and work for Trump, while the Supreme Court carefully pulls its punches to avoid a showdown.
—
Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
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
Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knuckle under
Verb
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Test cricket’s older generation is succumbing to Father Time.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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Quickly: In Oklahoma City, the Timberwolves succumbed to a masterclass in Thunderology, in which the young juggernauts fell behind early, rebounded, played incessant defense and saw Shai Gilgeous-Alexander work his foul-merchant magic.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Verb
-
Calvin Faucher surrendered six runs without securing a single out and Lake Bachar gave up three more as the Cubs posted eight runs on eight hits in the decisive sixth inning of a 14-1 Marlins’ loss at loanDepot park.—
Steve Gorten,
Miami Herald,
21 May 2025
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In many prison camps, the lowest level of security in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), cell phones are so prevalent that those who recently surrender can have one within days of arriving on the compound.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Verb
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There’s a lengthy, awkward, process to get your money back, which includes submitting a claim and waiting for approval.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
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To submit any news, please email [email protected].—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2025
Verb
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Many economists argue that trade deficits do not matter, and even proponents concede that doing so can cause short-term pain.—
Haisten Willis,
The Washington Examiner,
30 May 2025
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Conte’s side conceded just 27 goals in 38 league games, the strongest defensive record in Serie A and 18 fewer than Inter.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Verb
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But Merz isn’t just bowing to demands from Washington.—
Ian Bremmer,
Time,
24 May 2025
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Rome and Toronto openings are slated for this year, followed by Madrid, Lisbon and possibly some of the Middle East locales are expected to bow next year.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knuckle under.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckle%20under. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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