# succumb

/səˈkəm/ (US) · /səkˈʌm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/succumb
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 2. to be overcome by illness

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to become very sick or die from a disease.

For teachers: to be overwhelmed by a physical condition or to die from an illness; often functions as a formal euphemism for death.

- Many people in the village succumbed to the flu during the cold winter.
- After a long and courageous battle with the disease, the patient finally succumbed to his injuries late last night.

Usage: In medical contexts, it implies the body could no longer resist the progression of a condition.

## Examples

- I finally succumbed to my craving for chocolate.
- After hours of intense negotiation, the committee succumbed to public pressure and voted to cancel the project.
- The ancient empire eventually succumbed to a combination of internal corruption and relentless external invasions, marking the end of a centuries-long era of dominance.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.