capitulate
verb
Did you know?
We hope you’ll acquiesce to some history about capitulate because we can’t resist. When it first entered English in the 16th century, capitulate meant “to discuss terms with an enemy; to negotiate.” Its Latin source is more bookshelf than battlefield: the Medieval Latin word capitulare means “to distinguish [text] by chapters or headings,” as well as “to stipulate in an agreement.” The original “negotiate” sense of capitulate is now rarely heard, and today capitulate typically stresses surrender, whether to agreed-upon terms or in hopelessness before an irresistible opposing force (as in “team owners capitulated to the demands of the players’ union”).
Synonyms
Examples of capitulate in a Sentence
Philip Maymin, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Under Zuckerberg’s watch (not the $900,000 one), Meta is capitulating to the incoming administration’s exhausting rhetoric around free speech, looking to build bridges with the country’s commander in chief, get ahead of any misaligned values, and avoid legislation further down the line.
—Raven Smith, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2025
Any single House Republican could offer such a motion and force it to a vote within two legislative days if GOP leadership cannot get the lawmaker to capitulate.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 3 Dec. 2024
While Apple eventually capitulated in the face of legislation, Deere & Company may have a lifeline via incoming President Trump’s new pick for FTC chair and current FTC commissioner, Andrew Ferguson, who voted against suing Deere.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
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Dictionary Entries Near capitulate
Cite this Entry
“Capitulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capitulate. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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capitulate
verb
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