capitulate
/kə'pitjuleit/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To surrender or yield, typically under specific, agreed-upon conditions after negotiation or resistance. It implies giving up on demands or ceasing opposition formally.
Usage and Examples
- Verb:
- After a long siege, the city was forced to capitulate.
- The company refused to capitulate to the union's demands without further discussion.
- He finally capitulated and agreed to their terms.
Advanced Usage
- "to capitulate to [someone/something]": This is the most common construction, indicating the entity to which one surrenders.
- The government was pressured to capitulate to the rebels' ultimatum.
- The word often carries a connotation of yielding reluctantly or as a last resort, rather than a willing submission.
Variants and Related Words
- Capitulation (n): The act of capitulating; the document containing the terms of surrender.
- The treaty was a formal capitulation.
- Capitulant (n): A person who capitulates. (This is a rare, formal term.)
Synonyms
- Surrender: To give up completely.
- Yield: To give way to pressure or force.
- Submit: To accept or yield to a superior force.
- Succumb: To fail to resist pressure, temptation, or illness (can be used figuratively).
Antonyms
- Resist: To withstand the action or effect of.
- Defy: To openly resist or refuse to obey.
- Prevail: To prove more powerful or superior.
Notes on Meaning
- Capitulate vs. Surrender: While often used interchangeably, more strongly implies surrender based on pre-arranged terms or conditions. can be more general and unconditional.
- The word is most frequently used in contexts of war, conflict, negotiation, or intense debate where one side formally gives in.
Verb
- surrender under agreed conditions