succumb
suh-KUM
/səˈkʌm/
To fail to resist pressure, temptation, or some other negative force; to die from an illness.
Implies a struggle that was eventually lost.
The story behind the word. From 'sub-' (under) and 'cumbere' (to lie down). It literally means to lie down under a weight. This paints a vivid picture of someone being crushed by the pressure they are facing.
Word relationships
- yield: Yield is more neutral; succumb suggests a more dramatic or final defeat.
- surrender: Surrender is often a conscious choice; succumb can be an involuntary failing.
- resist: Resist is the active effort to stay strong against pressure.
- withstand: Withstand implies successfully enduring a force without breaking.
Commonly confused with
- submit: Submit is to accept authority; succumb is to be overcome by a force.
Collocations
- succumb to pressure
- succumb to temptation
- succumb to illness
Idioms & expressions
- give in
- throw in the towel
Example sentences
- "It is easy to succumb to peer pressure when you are young and want to fit in." Peer pressure context.
- "Sadly, the patient succumbed to his injuries after a long battle." Medical context.
Memory hook
Succumb sounds like 'suck'—it 'sucks' when you have to give in. Succumb = Sink Under.
When not to use
Do not use for giving in happily; it implies defeat.
Fun facts
- In older English, 'succumb' was often used specifically for falling in battle.
Related words
Also appears in
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