Synonyms of give way

give way

phrase

1

as in collapse

to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure

That old chair is going to give way soon.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• collapse
• go
• tumble
• give
• founder
• yield
• cave (in)
• buckle
• go out
• crumple
• die
• melt
• give out
• shatter
• crumble
• implode
• fail
• crash
• break
• burst
• snap
• flatten
• pop
• stall
• crack
• split
• break down
• smash
• melt down
• splinter
• deflate
• conk (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rise
• swell
• inflate

2

as in withdraw

to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)

They were urged to give way but chose to stand their ground.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• withdraw
• retreat
• give ground
• retire
• pull out
• fall back
• drop back
• lose ground
• back away
• recede
• flee
• evacuate
• fly
• leave
• shrink
• recoil
• pull away
• flinch
• chicken (out)
• back down
• climb down
• go
• detach
• depart
• bow out
• abandon
• backtrack
• quit
• disengage
• vacate
• disentangle
• backpedal

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• advance
• face
• dare
• breast
• confront
• brave
• defy
• beard
• outbrave
• brazen

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of give way

Across much of North America, clear-sky coverage drops rapidly as October gives way to November, beginning a prolonged period of widespread cloud cover. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2026

The first two lines in each stanza are about the promise of the season, before giving way to its end, showing the necessity of what came before in order for the next season to begin. — Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026

The headliner of the cabin is a dual-recliner front lounge that gives way to a Murphy bed at night. — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026

That, granted, was a brief if treacherous gut check, giving way to a re-expansion of valuations and a march to new highs through 2019 right up until Covid struck. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026