give way
Idioms-
Retreat or withdraw, as in The army gave way before the enemy . [Early 1500s]
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Yield the right of way; also, relinquish ascendancy, as in The cars must give way to the parade , or The children were called inside as day gave way slowly to night . [Early 1700s]
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Collapse, fail, break down, as in The ladder gave way , or His health gave way under the strain . [Mid-1600s]
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Also, give way to . Yield to urging or demand, as in At the last minute he gave way and avoided a filibuster , or The owners gave way to their demands for a pay increase . [Mid-1700s]
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Also, give way to . Abandon oneself, lose self-control, as in She gave way to hysteria , or Don't give way to despair . [First half of 1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Rallies among travel stocks have come and gone since March, as signs of breakthroughs in negotiations to end the conflict give way to more fighting.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
They fear a surge in nationalism that has shielded the government from criticism could give way to discontent if the economy deteriorates further.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
It does suggest that one-size-fits-all prescribing after heart attack may need to give way to more personalized decisions, especially for patients with preserved heart function.
From Science Daily • May 25, 2026
Break any link, and the whole chain could give way.
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
His neck muscles seemed to give way, and as he sobbed, his head fell forward and hit the steering wheel.
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
