What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
capitulate
Example
The army was forced to capitulate and surrender to the enemy. [capitulate: verb]
Example
After hours of negotiation, they finally decided to capitulate to the demands of the union. [capitulating: gerund or present participle]
surrender
Example
The suspect decided to surrender to the police rather than continue running. [surrender: verb]
Example
She had no choice but to accept her defeat and surrender. [surrender: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Surrender is more commonly used than capitulate in everyday language. Surrender is a versatile word that can be used in both formal and informal contexts, while capitulate is less common and tends to be used in more formal or written settings.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between capitulate and surrender?
While capitulate is typically associated with a formal tone, surrender can be used in both formal and informal contexts, making it more flexible in terms of formality.
