Word
succumb
Phoneticssuc·cumb, stress on the second syllable
US/səˈkəm/
UK/səkˈʌm/
Definitions
01to give in to pressure
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to stop resisting a strong feeling, a temptation, or someone's pressure.
v. to yield to an overpowering force or an overwhelming internal desire; intransitive and almost always takes the preposition 'to'.
“I finally succumbed to temptation and ate the last piece of chocolate cake.”
“The negotiator eventually succumbed to the pressure of the mounting public outcry and signed the controversial treaty.”
Usage
Always used with the preposition 'to' followed by the force or desire being yielded to.
02to die from illness
C1 · Advanced Medicine Formal
v. to die from a disease or injury.
v. to die as a result of a specific physical condition or injury; often serves as a formal or euphemistic alternative to 'die'.
Español:sucumbir
“Sadly, the patient succumbed to his injuries three days after the accident.”
“Despite the medical team's best efforts, the elderly statesman succumbed to a respiratory infection during the winter.”
Usage
Typically follows the pattern 'succumb to [illness/injury]'.
Real-World Examples
“In September 1996, rap star Tupac Shakur was gunned down in a drive-by shooting near the Las Vegas strip, succumbing days later to his injuries.” “Clinton was nettled at Goodman’s disrespectful questioning, perhaps believing that his charm, to which most of the press had succumbed, would soon cause her to melt.” “The Owls, under new ownership since succumbing to the earliest relegation in English Football League history in February, went ahead through Callum Slattery’s debut goal before Joseph Olowu levelled before the break.” Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *upó Proto-Italic *supo Latin sub Latin sub- Proto-Indo-European *ḱewb- Proto-Italic *kumbō Latin *cumbō Latin succumbere Old French succomberbor. English succumb From Old French succomber, from Latin succumbō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/succumb
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0