cave in
To fall down and collapse inward like a roof collapsing, or to give up and agree to something after someone pressures you.
Meanings
(of a structure) To collapse inward suddenly.
"The miners were trapped when part of the tunnel caved in above them."
To yield to pressure or demands after initially resisting.
"The government eventually caved in to public protests and reversed the policy."
"Republicans caved in to pressure from the White House."
— The Washington Post, 2018
The literal sense (structural collapse) and the figurative sense (capitulating under pressure) are both common. In the figurative sense, it implies the person resisted for a time before yielding. Often used with 'to': 'caved in to pressure.'
Commonly used with
Forms
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Synonyms
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