capitulate

UK: /kəˈpɪtʃʊleɪt/ US: /kəˈpɪtʃəˌleɪt/ ,(kə pich′ə lāt′)

Inflections of 'capitulate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

capitulates

v 3rd person singular

capitulating

v pres p

capitulated

v past

capitulated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ca•pit•u•late /kəˈpɪtʃəˌleɪt/   v. [no obj], -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 

1. to surrender usually after agreeing to certain terms.
2. [ sometimes: ~ + to + obj] to give up resistance; yield:
   to capitulate to someone's pleas.

ca•pit•u•lant /kəˈpɪtʃələnt/  n. [countable]
ca•pit•u•la•tor, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ca•pit•u•late  (kə pich′ə lāt′), v.i., -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 

1. to surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms.
2. to give up resistance:
   He finally capitulated and agreed to do the job my way.

• Medieval Latin capitulātus (past participle of capitulāre to draw up in sections), equivalent. to capitul(um) section (literally, small head; see capitulum) + -ātus -ate¹
• 1570–80

ca•pit′u•lant, n. 
ca•pit′u•la′tor, n. 
Synonyms

• 2. yield, acquiesce, accede, give in.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

capitulate / kəˈpɪtjʊˌleɪt/ verb

1. (intransitive) to surrender, esp under agreed conditions

Etymology: 16th Century (meaning: to arrange under heads, draw up in order; hence, to make terms of surrender): from Medieval Latin capitulare to draw up under heads, from capitulum chapter

caˈpituˌlator noun