succumb

/səˈkʌm/ (bre, ipa) · [səkˈʌm] /səˈkʌm/ (ame, ipa) · [səkˈʌm] /sə-ˈkəm How to pronounce succumb (audio)/ (ame, mw)

succumb — verb

  • succumbpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • succumbshe / she / it
  • succumbedpast simple
  • succumbing-ing form

1. to stop trying to resist something powerful, such as a strong desire, pressure f

1.動詞不及物C1
釋義

to stop trying to resist something powerful, such as a strong desire, pressure from others, or an attack, and allow it to control or defeat you

例句

After three hours of begging, Rohan finally succumbed to his daughter's pleas and bought her the puppy.

succumb to + someone's pleas / demands

Nadia tried to stick to her diet, but she succumbed to the chocolate cake at the party.

同義詞
  • yield

    more formal and often used in legal, military, or political contexts; suggests conscious surrender

  • give in

    less formal than 'succumb'; common in everyday conversation

  • surrender

    stronger than 'succumb'; implies complete loss of control or formal capitulation

反義詞
  • resist

    to actively fight against temptation or pressure

  • withstand

    to endure pressure or attack without giving in

文法句型

succumb to + noun phrase

用法筆記

Always followed by the preposition 'to' when specifying what is being given in to. Intransitive only — never used with a direct object.

常見錯誤

❌He succumbed the pressure from his parents.
✅He succumbed to the pressure from his parents.
💡'succumb' requires the preposition 'to' before the thing being yielded to.
❌She succumbed giving in to the temptation.
✅She succumbed to temptation.
💡Do not add a second verb after 'succumb'; the thing yielded to comes directly after 'to'.

2. to die because of a serious disease or injury, especially after a period of figh

2.動詞不及物C1
釋義

to die because of a serious disease or injury, especially after a period of fighting against it

例句

After battling cancer for two years, Naoko's grandfather finally succumbed to the disease at the age of seventy-eight.

succumb to + specific disease (cancer / pneumonia / flu)

Despite receiving the best medical care available, the patient succumbed to his injuries a few hours after the accident.

同義詞
  • die of

    neutral and commonly used in everyday speech; less dramatic than 'succumb'

  • pass away from

    euphemistic and gentler; avoids directly mentioning death

  • fall victim to

    formal and often used in news reporting; implies the person was helpless against the cause

反義詞
  • survive

    to continue living despite a serious illness or injury

  • recover from

    to get better after being sick or injured

  • pull through

    informal; to manage to stay alive after a serious health crisis

文法句型

succumb to + disease / injury / illness

用法筆記

Most commonly used in formal writing, such as news reports or medical accounts. The cause of death always follows 'to': succumb to cancer / injuries / pneumonia.

常見錯誤

❌She succumbed from cancer at age 60.
✅She succumbed to cancer at age 60.
💡The preposition must be 'to', not 'from'.
❌He succumbed the disease after a long fight.
✅He succumbed to the disease after a long fight.
💡Never omit 'to'; it is always required.