succumb

/səˈkʌm/

/səˈkʌm/

Other forms: succumbed; succumbing; succumbs

Use the verb succumb to say that someone yields to something they've tried to fight off, such as despair, temptation, disease or injury.

If you succumb to cancer, it means you die of it. From this sentence you can see that this verb is usually followed by the preposition to. The Latin root is succumbere, from the prefix sub- "under" plus -cumbere "to lie down."

Definitions of succumb

1. verb

   give in, as to overwhelming force, influence, or pressure
   synonyms: relent, soften, yield

   types:

   truckle

   yield to out of weakness
2. verb

   consent reluctantly
   synonyms: buckle, buckle under, give in, knuckle under, yield

   types:

   accede, bow, defer, give in, submit

   yield to another's wish or opinion

   type of:

   accept, consent, go for

   give an affirmative reply to; respond favorably to
3. verb

   be fatally overwhelmed
   synonyms: yield

   antonyms:

   survive

   continue in existence after (an adversity, etc.)

   type of:

   buy the farm, cash in one's chips, choke, conk, croak, decease, die, drop dead, exit, expire, give-up the ghost, go, kick the bucket, pass, pass away, perish, pop off, snuff it

   pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life