Capitulate — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /kə-ˈpi-chə-ˌlāt/ ca·pit·u·late

Meaning & Definition of Capitulate

Capitulate (verb)

  1. to surrender often after negotiation of terms
  2. to cease resisting, acquiesce
  3. parley, negotiate

Capitulate (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control)

    "one side finally capitulated when it became clear that they couldn't win the argument"

    similar: blink, bow, budge, concede, give in, knuckle under, quit, relent, submit, succumb, surrender, yield, say uncle, throw in the towel
    related: acquiesce, defer
    opposite: resist
    near: contend, fight, hold off, battle, breast, combat, confront, counter, defy, face, meet, object, oppose, repel, thwart, withstand

  2. to yield to the control or power of enemy forces

    "the city reluctantly capitulated to the invaders after a three-day siege"

    similar: fall, give up, knuckle under, submit, succumb, surrender
    related: bow, buckle, cave (in), collapse, give (in), hand over, relinquish, lose, concede, fail, fold
    opposite: endure, stand
    near: buck, defy, fight, oppose, repel, resist, withstand, beat, overcome, win, conquer, prevail, triumph

Related Entry: Capitulate (to) (verb)

Capitulate (to) is a different word from Capitulate. The synonyms below are for capitulate (to), not for capitulate.

  1. as in submit (to), succumb (to)

    similar: acquiesce (to), bow (to), give in (to), submit (to), succumb (to), surrender (to), yield (to), accede (to), assent (to), concede (to), confirm, consent (to), OK, ratify, sanction, warrant, abide, bear, brook, countenance, endure, shoulder, stand, stick out, stomach, support, sustain, swallow, sweat out, tolerate, accept, have, take, adopt, embrace, welcome
    opposite: decline, deny, disallow, disapprove, negative, refuse, reject, spurn, turn down, veto, dissent (to), object (to), oppose, protest, hold off, resist, withstand, combat, contest, fight

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Capitulate

The most common words with a similar meaning to Capitulate:

blink, bow, budge, concede, give in, knuckle under, quit, relent, submit, succumb, surrender, yield, fall, give up, say uncle, throw in the towel

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Capitulate

Words with the opposite meaning of Capitulate:

resist, endure, stand

Related Words for Capitulate

acquiesce, defer, buckle, cave (in), collapse, give (in), hand over, relinquish, lose, fail, fold

Near Antonyms of Capitulate

contend, fight, hold off, battle, breast, combat, confront, counter, defy, face, meet, object, oppose, repel, thwart, withstand, buck, beat, overcome, win, conquer, prevail, triumph

Word Forms of Capitulate

Inflections: capitulated, capitulating

Origin & Etymology of Capitulate

borrowed from Medieval Latin capitulātus, past participle of capitulāre "to summarize point by point, stipulate in an agreement, censure in a conventual assembly," derivative of capitulum "heading or division of a document, chapter"

First known use: 1596

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Capitulate

Frequently Asked Questions about Capitulate

What does "Capitulate" mean?

"Capitulate" means to surrender often after negotiation of terms. As a verb, it is defined as: to surrender often after negotiation of terms. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Capitulate"?

Other words for "Capitulate" include blink, bow, budge, concede, give in, knuckle under, quit and relent. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Capitulate" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Capitulate"?

There are 27 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Capitulate". Common alternatives include blink, bow, budge, concede, give in, knuckle under, quit, relent, submit and succumb.

What is the opposite of "Capitulate"?

Antonyms of "Capitulate" include resist, endure and stand. Near antonyms include contend, fight, hold off and battle.

How do you use "Capitulate" in a sentence?

Examples of "Capitulate" in a sentence: "one side finally capitulated when it became clear that they couldn't win the argument"; "the city reluctantly capitulated to the invaders after a three-day siege".

Is "Capitulate" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Capitulate" is a verb.

Is "Capitulate" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Capitulate" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Capitulate"?

"Capitulate" is pronounced /kə-ˈpi-chə-ˌlāt/ and divided into syllables as ca·pit·u·late.