Definitions

give way

VERB

budge

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bend

STRONG

change convince inch influence locomote move persuade propel push remove roll shift slide stir sway yield

WEAK

change position

Antonyms

STRONG

discourage dissuade fix hinder hold keep leave alone prevent remain repress stay steady stop suppress

VERB

chicken out

Synonyms

WEAK

avoid back down back out back pedal beg off blow it off bow out cancel cop out funk out get cold feet give up go back on have no stomach for make concessions pull out recant renege resign scratch shy from surrender throw in the towel turn yellow weasel out wiggle out wimp out withdraw worm out yield

VERB

collapse

Synonyms

STRONGEST

break cave in crumple disintegrate drop fail faint fall down founder shatter topple weaken

STRONG

bend deflate droop exhaust flag fold give go languish subside succumb tire weary wilt yield

WEAK

belly up conk out crack up flake out give in give out go to pieces keel over

Antonyms

STRONGEST

accomplish achieve fix mend straighten strengthen succeed

STRONG

activate create energize grow increase inflate invigorate refresh rise withhold

WEAK

build

VERB

crack

Synonyms

STRONGEST

break down collapse flip

STRONG

succumb yield

WEAK

become deranged become insane blow one's mind blow up bug out go bonkers go crazy go to pieces lose it

Antonyms

WEAK

be calm

VERB

crash

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bump collapse collide ditch dive drop hurtle meet overturn plunge slip smash topple tumble

STRONG

lurch overbalance pancake pitch prang sprawl upset washout

WEAK

bite the dust crash-land drive into fall flat fall headlong fall prostrate go in plough into splash down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ascend rise

VERB

crumple

Synonyms

STRONGEST

break down buckle crush scrunch

STRONG

collapse crease crimp crinkle fall fold pucker ruck rumple screw shrivel wad wrinkle

WEAK

cave in crimple go to pieces rimple

Antonyms

STRONG

flatten rise smooth straighten

VERB

cry uncle

Synonyms

WEAK

break cave in give up put one's tail between one's legs say uncle surrender

VERB

despair

Synonyms

STRONG

abandon despond destroy drop flatten relinquish renounce resign surrender yield

WEAK

be hopeless have heavy heart let air out lose faith lose heart take down

Antonyms

STRONG

keep pursue

WEAK

anticipate expect have faith hope wish for

VERB

fall

Synonyms

STRONGEST

die drop give up go down slump

STRONG

bend capitulate obey perish resign submit succumb yield

WEAK

back down be casualty be destroyed be killed be lost be taken defer to eat dirt fall to pieces give in go under lie down pass into enemy hands

Antonyms

STRONG

fight

WEAK

advance overcome overthrow win

VERB

give

Synonyms

STRONGEST

allow devote fail go grant hand over lend open

STRONG

bend break cave cede concede contract crumble crumple fall flex fold recede relax relent relinquish retire retreat sag shrink sink slacken surrender weaken

WEAK

bow to fold up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

finish hold keep

STRONG

enlarge expand face fight grow increase put together rise strengthen win

WEAK

withhold withstand

VERB

obey

Synonyms

STRONGEST

accept adhere to carry out comply embrace execute heed live by observe surrender

STRONG

accede accord acquiesce agree answer assent concur discharge follow fulfill keep mind perform respond serve submit

WEAK

abide by act upon be loyal to be ruled by bow to do as one says do one's bidding do one's duty do what is expected do what one is told get in line hold fast knuckle under play second fiddle take orders toe the line

Antonyms

STRONGEST

decline deny disregard forget ignore leave miss neglect overlook refuse reject

STRONG

argue ask differ disagree disallow disapprove disobey dispute dissent fail object oppose protest question

WEAK

mutiny rebel

VERB

relent

Synonyms

STRONGEST

acquiesce capitulate cave in come around comply ease off give in give up let go quit relax slacken soften subside

STRONG

drop ease ebb fall fold forbear melt moderate slow wane weaken yield

WEAK

be merciful change one's mind cool it cry uncle die away ease up on give quarter give some slack go along with go easy on have mercy have pity lay back let it happen lighten up mellow out say uncle show mercy

Antonyms

STRONGEST

grow increase worry

STRONG

advance ascend continue free rise

WEAK

build

VERB

retire

Synonyms

STRONGEST

depart go pull out relinquish remove retreat separate surrender withdraw

STRONG

decamp ebb exit part recede regress repeal rescind resign revoke rusticate secede yield

WEAK

absent oneself deny oneself draw back fall back get away get off give ground give up work go away go to bed go to one's room go to sleep hand over hit the sack leave service make vacant pull back run along seclude oneself sever connections stop working take off turn in

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advance continue remain stay

STRONG

approve arrive come in increase join

WEAK

begin enter

VERB

sag

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cave in dip drop off fall off languish sink slide slip slump wilt

STRONG

bag bend bow curve dangle decline drop fail fall flag flap flop hang lean settle swag

WEAK

fall away hang down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ascend increase rise

STRONG

go up straighten

WEAK

bulge draw up tighten

VERB

snap

Synonyms

STRONGEST

click crack fracture pop

STRONG

crackle

WEAK

come apart

Antonyms

WEAK

combine fix loose

VERB

split

Synonyms

STRONGEST

break disband divide isolate open rip rive separate sever splinter tear

STRONG

bifurcate branch burst cleave crack dichotomize disjoin dissever disunite diverge divorce fork gape hack part rend slash slit snap sunder whack

WEAK

come apart come undone go separate ways part company put asunder

Antonyms

STRONGEST

agree attach close combine fix hide join mend sew unite wait

WEAK

pull together

VERB

submit

Synonyms

STRONGEST

acknowledge agree defer surrender

STRONG

abide accede acquiesce appease bend bow buckle capitulate cave cede concede fold humor indulge knuckle kowtow obey quit relent relinquish stoop succumb tolerate truckle withstand yield

WEAK

be submissive eat crow give away give ground give in go with the flow grin and bear it knuckle under lay down arms put up with resign oneself say uncle throw in the towel toe the line

Antonyms

STRONGEST

contradict refuse

STRONG

continue defend deny disagree disallow disapprove dispute dissent fight flatten leave protest reject stop straighten veto win

WEAK

conceal disobey dissuade hide resist

VERB

succumb

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bow break down buckle capitulate cave in cease defer give in go down pass away perish quit wilt yield

STRONG

accede cave collapse croak decease demise depart drop expire fall fold go knuckle pass submit

WEAK

eat crow fall victim to flake out give in to give out give up the ghost go under knuckle under meet waterloo pack it in show white flag take the count throw in the towel

Antonyms

STRONGEST

continue defend fight

STRONG

ascend deny refuse rise stay

WEAK

conquer overcome win

VERB

superannuate

Synonyms

STRONG

decamp depart ebb exit go part pension recede regress relinquish remove repeal rescind resign retreat revoke rusticate secede separate surrender withdraw yield

WEAK

absent oneself deny oneself draw back fall back get away get off give ground give up work go away go to bed go to one's room go to sleep hand over hit the sack leave service make vacant pull back pull out put out to pasture run along seclude oneself sever connections stop working take off turn in

Antonyms

STRONG

advance allow approve arrive combine come come in enter forge increase join permit remain stay unite

VERB

weaken

Synonyms

STRONGEST

abate decline decrease depress dilute diminish dwindle halt impair lessen lower reduce sap soften undermine wane

STRONG

adulterate crumble cut debase debilitate devitalize droop enervate exhaust fade fail faint flag impoverish invalidate languish limp lose minimize mitigate moderate relapse relax temper thin tire totter tremble vitiate wilt

WEAK

break up ease up lose spirit slow down thin out water down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid assist compliment develop encourage enlarge expand extend grow help increase praise prolong raise rise strengthen

STRONG

achieve activate aggravate agitate animate clean energize enhance excite free improve incite invigorate purify refresh succeed win

WEAK

build up

VERB

withdraw

Synonyms

STRONGEST

depart disengage drop out eliminate go leave pull back pull out quit retire retreat

STRONG

abjure blow book detach exit extract quail recede recoil secede shrink switch vacate

WEAK

absent oneself back out bail out bow out check out draw away draw back ease out exfiltrate fall back get away get lost get off give ground keep aloof keep apart make oneself scarce phase out run along seclude oneself take a hike take away take leave take off take out

Antonyms

STRONGEST

begin come continue engage enter join keep persevere stay

STRONG

arrive combine come in face meet unite

WEAK

advance allow permit remain

VERB

yield

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bow buy capitulate give up leave succumb

STRONG

abandon abdicate bend break cede collapse crumple defer fold go knuckle relax relent relinquish resign sag submit

WEAK

admit defeat back down call it quits cave in come to terms fold up give oneself over hand over knuckle under lay down arms let go part with suffer defeat throw in the towel

Antonyms

STRONGEST

defend fight

STRONG

agree assert build hide hold increase keep retain rise stay straighten

WEAK

counter deny disallow disapprove oppose prevent refuse reject veto withhold

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

give way

McGregor's knee appeared to give way when he missed with his first attempted roundhouse kick in the opening seconds.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

More than that, it’s a case about how private the data on your phone really is and when that privacy interest has to give way to the government’s law enforcement efforts.

From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2026

The rapid spread of the emerging technology is seeing early enthusiasm give way to concerns about unemployment, rising costs, misinformation and security.

From Barron's ● May 19, 2026

Roos, the former options market maker, believes the latest leg higher for stocks could ultimately give way to a painful pullback as investors take profits and positioning shifts.

From MarketWatch ● May 17, 2026

Malik at short and Jason at second are both racing back, but Malik veers off because he knows it’s the center fielder’s ball, and I never give way.

From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner

give way

Example Sentences

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