All words

capitulate

Meaning

To cease to resist an opponent or demand, often by agreeing to their terms.

Examples by difficulty

Basic: Simple, everyday vocabulary — the easiest to read.

After being surrounded for days, the soldiers finally decided to capitulate. They were tired, hungry, and knew there was no way to win. Their leader spoke with the enemy and agreed on terms. All they wanted now was to go home and be safe.

The tiny village had fought for days, but the enemy was too strong. With supplies gone and hope fading, the tired leader knew they had to capitulate. He agreed to the harsh terms, surrendering his people to end the bloodshed.

After weeks of fierce resistance, the troops knew they could not hold out any longer. Their supplies were low, casualties mounting, and the enemy's forces surrounded them. With a heavy sigh, the commander decided to capitulate, hoping to save as many of his soldiers' lives as possible.

After three hours of hide-and-seek, Timmy refused to capitulate, even as his stomach loudly begged for pizza. Only when his friends appeared with a pepperoni slice and a treaty of peace did he finally surrender, crawling out from under the couch and declaring his defeat for extra cheese.

The tiny hamster, cornered by a giant fluffy slipper, decided it was time to capitulate. He offered his prize sunflower seed as a peace treaty, hoping the monstrous foot would not crush his fluffy dreams.

Normal: Standard, everyday language.

After a long day of negotiations, the defeated army finally decided to capitulate to the victors. They knew they had no other choice but to surrender and accept the terms set forth by their adversaries.

When the opposing forces closed in, the castle's defenders knew they were outnumbered and outmatched. With dwindling supplies and no hope of reinforcements, the commander realized it was futile to resist further. He sent a messenger to the enemy, expressing his willingness to capitulate. Negotiations ensued, resulting in terms that allowed the defenders to surrender their weapons and leave with their lives.

The darkness enveloped the small village, suffocating any sense of hope. The townspeople huddled together, their faces etched with fear as the enemy forces loomed closer. The screams of the innocent echoed through the night, a haunting reminder of the impending doom. As the enemy's demands grew more insistent, the village leader knew there was no other choice but to capitulate. With heavy hearts, they lowered their defenses and surrendered to the merciless invaders. The once vibrant town now lay in ruins, a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of refusing to negotiate and capitulate.

In the oppressive darkness, trapped and outnumbered, the weary soldiers knew it was futile. With heavy hearts, they capitulated, laying down their arms in surrender. The relentless enemy advanced, their cries of triumph echoing through the desolate battlefield. As the smoke cleared, the once-proud warriors were forced to bow their heads, their spirits broken and their dreams shattered.

The mighty dragon stood before the castle, breathing fire and demanding the kingdom's surrender. The king, knowing his army was no match for the beast, chose to capitulate rather than risk the lives of his people. He sent forth a messenger to negotiate terms with the dragon, offering up his crown in exchange for the safety of his subjects. The dragon, pleased with this gesture of submission, agreed to spare the kingdom in return for the king's obedience. And so, the king bowed his head in defeat, knowing that sometimes it is better to surrender than to fight a losing battle.

Advanced: Richer vocabulary that stretches an upper-level reader.

After a long argument, neither of us wanted to be the first to capitulate, but finally, she agreed to listen if I apologized. I did, feeling both relief and frustration. We had to surrender after negotiation of terms, and that was the only way forward.

The weary defenders, their supplies dwindling and hope a distant memory, finally agreed to capitulate. After weeks of relentless siege, facing starvation and the inevitable loss of life, they chose to surrender, negotiating their safe passage in exchange for the city.

After hours of intense negotiation, the rebel commander realized his troops were exhausted and outgunned. With a heavy sigh, he decided to capitulate to the opposing army, knowing that further resistance would only lead to more bloodshed and certain defeat.

After hours of his dog staring with soulful eyes and theatrically dramatic sighs, Mark finally capitulate and handed over the last bite of his sandwich. Clearly, his loyal pet had mastered the art of getting humans to surrender—especially after lengthy negotiations involving pitiful whimpers and strategic paw placement.

The hamster, after a prolonged siege of his sunflower seed hoard, finally decided to capitulate. He gazed longingly at the cage door, a truce negotiated with a single, strategically offered peanut, acknowledging defeat in his valiant, albeit crumb-filled, struggle.

Challenging: Rare, high-register vocabulary for serious word lovers.

After weeks of arguments, Julia realized she could not win against her determined colleagues. Reluctantly, she chose to capitulate, agreeing to their proposal after hours of negotiation in hopes of preserving harmony in the office. The sense of defeat lingered as she signed the final document.

After weeks of fruitless skirmishes, the beleaguered garrison, facing dwindling provisions and no hope of succor, finally chose to capitulate. Their banners lowered, they negotiated terms with the victorious legion, a somber acceptance of their inevitable defeat.

After weeks of brutal siege, the garrison's commander realized resistance was futile. With dwindling supplies and mounting casualties, he would soon have to capitulate to the overwhelming enemy force, hoping only that the terms of surrender would preserve the lives of his remaining soldiers.

After hours of futile debate, Clarence, besieged by his toddler's cacophonous demands for ice cream at breakfast, finally decided to capitulate, negotiating terms that included three peas and a solemn vow to brush teeth—thus surrendering to the diminutive tyrant’s unwavering, sticky persistence.

The beleaguered badger, cornered by an army of particularly insistent squirrels demanding his acorn stash, finally decided to capitulate. He reasoned that a negotiated surrender, however ignominious, was preferable to a protracted skirmish with such tenacious, bushy-tailed adversaries.

Difficulty

Advanced — Less frequent words that stretch an upper-level vocabulary.

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