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.
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
The rapid spread of the emerging technology is seeing early enthusiasm give way to concerns about unemployment, rising costs, misinformation and security.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
Roos, the former options market maker, believes the latest leg higher for stocks could ultimately give way to a painful pullback as investors take profits and positioning shifts.
From MarketWatch • May 17, 2026
The cap imposes spending discipline on lawmakers and prevents boom-bust revenue cycles—that is, when years of strong economic growth and tax collections give way to downturns and deficits.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
As the woods give way to the clearing, I see paper lanterns hanging from tree branches, illuminating the pond.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
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.
