give way

Idioms  

1. Retreat or withdraw, as in The army gave way before the enemy . [Early 1500s]

2. 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]

3. Collapse, fail, break down, as in The ladder gave way , or His health gave way under the strain . [Mid-1600s]

4. 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]

5. 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]

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Example Sentences

Against a backdrop of worsening inflation, tariffs, and the maintenance of a significantly undervalued currency—in the case of the Chinese renminbi—would give way to trade deals and a stronger renminbi, Gavekal says.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

“But we think that geopolitical fears will give way to weak fundamentals.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

Whereas on tracks like “Dime” and “Flores,” there are distinct orchestral peaks, in which subtle percussions give way to grander, more cathartic releases.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 2, 2025

Dozens of Art Deco buildings have been erased to give way to glass and steel facades, and hundreds more are under threat.

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2025

Sierra felt its solidity beginning to give way between her fingers, felt the twisted sorcery that held it together loosen.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

Related Words

• abate
• decline
• decrease
• depress
• dilute
• diminish
• dwindle
• halt
• impair
• lessen
• lower
• reduce
• sap
• soften
• undermine
• wane