English Dictionary

Definition of “succumb”

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succumb (səˈkʌmPronunciation for succumb) 

Definitions

verb

(intr)

often foll by

to 
  1. to give way in face of the overwhelming force (of) or desire (for)
  2. to be fatally overwhelmed (by disease, old age, etc); die (of)

Alternative Forms

sucˈcumber noun

Word Origin

C15: from Latin succumbere  to be overcome, from sub- + -cumbere  from cubāre to lie down

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= surrender (to) yield (to) submit (to) give in (to) give way (to) go under (to) cave in (to) capitulate (to) knuckle under (to)
= catch, contract, fall victim to die from get, develop, pick up, die of fall ill with become infected by come or go down with cark it from

Usage examples

  • I cannot feel my feet, and gradually my legs and my body succumb to the creeping numbness.
    Harris, Elizabeth, Time of the Wolf (1994)
  • Newly arrived Stepford females eventually succumb to the joys of baking cupcakes.
    Spiked (2004)
  • But African producers such as Mauritius say their industry may succumb to such competition.
    Courier, Sunday Mail (2004)
  • Dein, a major powerbroker within the game, said: "I don't believe the Premier League will succumb to the threat of the PFA.
    Sun, News of the World (2001)
  • Having rescued the world from the threat of totalitarian dictatorship, their populations saw less need than ever to succumb to metrication.
    Andro Linklater, MEASURING AMERICA (2002)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'S'

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