knuckled under
Caved to pressure
To knuckle under is to yield or submit to pressure or authority, often reluctantly: After weeks of resistance, she finally knuckled under and signed the contract.
The phrase suggests capitulation—giving in when you'd rather not.
He refused to knuckle under to their demands.
- obeyFollow commands given
- toe the lineAdhere to standards
- acquiesceSubmit without protest
- cowerShrink back in dread
- defeatVictory over another
bow · capitulate · buckle · yield · succumb · bent the knee · back down · backed off · cave in · rolled over · stoop · concede · submit · kowtow · defer · gave way · comply · pressure
submission versus resistance
knuckled underheld out
Maintained resistance or position
stood one's ground · resisted · dug in · persevered · hung tough
compliance versus defiance
knuckled underdefied
Openly resisted authority
rebelled · stood up to · fought back · refused · pushed back