capitulation

2 antonyms for capitulation — opposites grouped by meaning.

Noun — The act of stopping resistance and accepting the demands of an opponent.

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

The act of stopping resistance and accepting the demands of an opponent.

“The union's capitulation ended the strike after eleven weeks.”

surrender submission yielding climbdown concession fall

Opposites

resistance defiance

2. noun military

The formal surrender of an army, city or fortress, usually on agreed terms.

“The garrison's capitulation was signed at dawn.”

surrender laying down of arms

Antonyms

resistance defiance

How to use capitulation

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

complete capitulation capitulation to terms of capitulation market capitulation an abject capitulation

Usually critical in political writing, implying the surrender was avoidable; neutral in military and financial contexts.

Etymology

Via French from medieval Latin capitulare, to draw up under headings, from capitulum a little head or chapter; surrender terms were originally set out heading by heading.

Full origin of capitulation →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between capitulation and surrender?

They overlap, but capitulation stresses that the surrender was negotiated on stated terms and that resistance had already collapsed. Surrender is the broader, plainer word and can be unconditional.

What does capitulation mean in the stock market?

It describes the point where discouraged investors sell in a rush, accepting losses rather than waiting for recovery. The resulting spike in selling and volume is often read as a sign the bottom is near.

Is capitulation the same as recapitulation?

No. Recapitulation means summarising the main points again, and shares only the Latin root about chapter headings. The two words are not interchangeable.

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fall resistance submission surrender concession defiance yielding climbdown

Nearby words

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