to give way

Examples

• All

• My legs just seemed to give way.

  Valley of the Dolls (1967)

• In the last several years, a democratic boom has given way to a democratic recession.

  Academic text (2009)

• The floor could give way.

  Assassins (1995)

• And he reached to get the ball, and the board gave way.

  Bloodthirsty Butchers (1970)

• I was standing and the floor gave way underneath my feet.

  Timeline (2003)

• What we can tell is that the risk of this debt is climbing and someday it's going to give way just like a fault line.

• Just as I reached her, the door gave way and she fell, stumbling into the room.

  Fiction book (1990)

• With almost a year having passed since Chris' disappearance, my parents' anger, their desperation, their guilt was giving way to pain.

  Into the Wild (2007)

• The initial overreaction seems to have begun giving way to a more pragmatic and practical approach.

  Academic text (1999)

• As the floodwaters rose, the old bridge finally gave way under the pressure.

Synonyms

B

to break

vsto give way

∞ 1.0

To change a large bill into smaller bills

often means fail or collapse under pressure rather than physical breakage

G

to give

vsto give way

∞ 3.5

To stop being strong and bend or break under pressure

is the same idea but adds collapse or failure under force

C

to collapse

vsto give way

579 3.9

To fall down suddenly, for example when a person faints or a building breaks

includes slower yielding and gradual stopping, not only sudden failure

D

to die

vsto give way

498 4.6

To stop working, often suddenly

can be temporary or due to pressure rather than permanent end

F

to fail

vsto give way

370 2.2

Stop working properly, as a machine or part

focuses more on failing due to external force or pressure

G

to give in

vsto give way

220 3.0

To stop resisting and agree to what others want

includes physical or mechanical failure as well as agreeing

B

to break down

vsto give way

194 3.2

To stop working because of a problem

adds the idea of yielding or collapsing under external pressure

Y

to yield

vsto give way

81 4.3

To stop resisting under pressure or force

adds physical collapse or mechanical failure to that surrender

G

to give out

vsto give way

57 4.1

To stop working or run out so nothing is left

also covers collapsing or breaking under applied force

F

to fall in

vsto give way

30 4.4

To collapse inward, as a roof or organization breaking down

covers yielding without an inward fall

C

to cave in

vsto give way

22 3.7

Suddenly fall inward because its sides or top become weak, for example a tunnel

also covers softer yielding or stopping, not only sudden collapse

G

to give up

vsto give way

14 2.6

To stop working after being used for a long time

specifically includes failing because of pressure or force

C

to conk out

vsto give way

• Informal

7 8.1

To stop working suddenly or to fall asleep because of tiredness

also covers gradual yielding or failing under continuing pressure

B

to buckle under

vsto give way

2 6.7

To give in to pressure even though you do not want to

can mean sudden collapse or stopping, not just reluctant agreement

Antonyms

W

to withstand

122 4.2

To resist strong or harmful force without breaking

E

to endure

94 3.6

To continue to exist for a long time despite problems

How Strong

to withstand

122 4.2

to hold

840 1.4

to break

∞ 1.0

to give way

35 4.2

to crumble

177 3.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology