succumb

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitive

   To give in to a force, temptation or pressure that is too strong to resist.

   Grammar: No object; usually followed by to: succumb to temptation.

   Patterns

   • succumb to something
   • succumb to pressure

   After an hour of begging, I succumbed to the puppy's stare.

   The company finally succumbed to pressure from investors.

   He tried to diet but succumbed to the smell of fresh bread.

2. 2verbintransitiveformaleuphemistic

   To die from an illness or injury, or to be overcome by it.

   Grammar: No object; takes to: she succumbed to her injuries.

   Patterns

   • succumb to an illness
   • succumb to injuries

   The patient succumbed to pneumonia early in the winter.

   Several hikers succumbed to the cold before help arrived.

   The old poet succumbed to a long illness at ninety.

Word forms

Common combinations

succumb to temptation

I promised not to buy sweets, but I succumbed to temptation.

succumb to pressure

The mayor succumbed to public pressure and resigned.

succumb to an illness

Many villagers succumbed to the fever.

succumb to one's injuries

The driver succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

finally succumb

She resisted for weeks but finally succumbed.

Synonyms and how they differ

yield

Yield is gentler and can be a calm, willing choice, while succumb suggests losing a struggle.

give in

Give in is the casual spoken equivalent, whereas succumb sounds more formal and heavier.

surrender

Surrender implies a formal or open admission of defeat, but succumb can be a quiet collapse of will.

capitulate

Capitulate is used for accepting terms or demands, usually in arguments or conflicts, rather than in illness.

Opposites

Word family

succumbing noun

the act of giving in, rare as a noun

unsuccumbing adjective

not giving in, very rare

Commonly confused: succumb or subdue?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “succumb”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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