capitulate

American  

[kuh-pich-uh-leyt] / kəˈpɪtʃ əˌleɪt /

verb (used without object)

capitulated, capitulating

1. to surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms.

   When he saw the extent of the forces arrayed against him, the king capitulated, and signed their list of demands.

2. to give up resistance.

   He finally capitulated and agreed to do the job my way.

   Synonyms:

   accede, acquiesce, yield

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capitulate British  

/ kəˈpɪtjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. (intr) to surrender, esp under agreed conditions

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Other Word Forms

• capitulant noun
• capitulator noun
• uncapitulated adjective
• uncapitulating adjective

Etymology

Origin of capitulate

First recorded in 1570–80; from Medieval Latin capitulātus (past participle of capitulāre “to draw up in sections”), equivalent to capitul(um) “section,” literally, “small head” + -ātus ; capitulum, chapter ( def. ), -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Baqaei responded Monday by saying that Iranians had never capitulated at any point in their history.

From Barron's

Heading into the free skate section in the lead, Malinin capitulated, fluffing his signature quad axel jump and falling twice to the ice to plummet to eighth spot overall.

From Barron's

Malinin, a two-time defending world champion and undefeated for over two years, had been leading after the short programme, but he capitulated and ultimately finished 15th in the free skate and eighth overall.

From Barron's

"Sabalenka will go away with a lot of things to think about - she basically capitulated."

From BBC

With U.S. warships that once patrolled the strait now deployed chasing drug boats in the Caribbean and mopping up Inuit resistance on Greenland’s coasts, Taipei quickly capitulated.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bow
• cave in
• cede
• concede
• defer
• relent
• succumb
• surrender