capitulate
Americanverb (used without object)
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capitulates,
present (3rd person singular)
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capitulated,
past participle, past
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capitulating
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
capitulatesimple
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capitulatessimple
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have capitulatedperfect
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has capitulatedperfect
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am capitulatingprogressive
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are capitulatingprogressive
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is capitulatingprogressive
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have been capitulatingperfect progressive
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has been capitulatingperfect progressive
Past
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capitulatedsimple
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had capitulatedperfect
-
was capitulatingprogressive
-
were capitulatingprogressive
-
had been capitulatingperfect progressive
Future
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 ; see origin at capitulum, chapter ( def. ), -ate 1
Explanation
To capitulate means to give in to something. If your parents refuse to raise your allowance, you might try to argue until they capitulate. Good luck! To capitulate is to surrender outright or to give in under certain terms. Either way, you’re agreeing to something you don’t really want. The word comes from the Latin roots caput ("head") and capitulum ("headings"), a reference to the official agreement drawn up when someone formally surrendered.
Vocabulary lists containing capitulate
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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.
See Examples For:
But litigation and regulatory investigations are costly, and a lot of companies, corporate parents, make the decision that it is actually less painful to settle and to capitulate than it is to fight.
From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026
And when they capitulate one by one…the market goes the ‘illogical’ way for much longer than people can remain in the position.”
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 13, 2026
Eastern Time on Tuesday — telling one reporter that “very little” would be off the table if Tehran doesn’t capitulate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2026
“Iran will be forced to capitulate at some point,” writes BCA Research Chief Strategist Marko Papic.
From Barron's ● Mar. 16, 2026
Sabata was opposed to the Bantu Authorities and would not capitulate, but my visitors were afraid that Matanzima would depose him, which is eventually what happened.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
In his October memo, “Three Tough Truths About Climate,” Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates capitulates, admitting, “It will not lead to humanity’s demise.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026
It takes both sides to end a war, unless an opponent capitulates.
From Barron's ● Mar. 18, 2026
But what about big media that capitulates to the above hollowness?
From New York Times ● Jan. 1, 2019
Abandoning the lecture, she argues, capitulates “to the worst features of the customer-service mentality that has seeped into the university from the business world.”
From Slate ● Oct. 21, 2015
But after arguing with Gauguin for weeks, he finally capitulates.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
During his eight years as a Laker there seemed to be countless occasions when Lakers brass capitulated to his “demands.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026
The 28-year-old capitulated from a set and 4-1 up in her quarter-final against Diana Shnaider before losing the deciding set 6-0 in a match that she joked made her want to quit tennis.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
Only one sued state – Oklahoma – has thus far capitulated to the DOJ.
From Salon ● Apr. 3, 2026
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 ● Feb. 16, 2026
Kid Sampson resisted doubtfully for another moment and then capitulated eagerly with a triumphant whoop.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
The market has absorbed more than its fair share without capitulating.
From Barron's ● Mar. 6, 2026
European officials are searching for ways to respond to the president without escalating the situation into a broader trade spat or capitulating on security in the face of his trade threats.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 19, 2026
But if he’s a bear who’s capitulating, that’s another ominous sign.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 14, 2025
It’s also possible, however, that this was another form of capitulating and face-saving from the studio set.
From Slate ● May 20, 2025
Even more strongly than Walter, he felt that by initiating talks it would appear that we were capitulating.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
