Standard Lemma guide

cave-in

noun · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of something collapsing or caving in.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • We were warned away from the rickety old mine because of the danger of cave-ins.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: breakage, collapse, rockfall

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The location where something has caved in.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • We couldn't get past the cave-in blocking the tunnel.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blockage, collapse, rockfall

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The act of relenting.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • It was a cave-in, but I let my child have a candy to shut her up.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: acquiescence, consent, sellout

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

Misspelling of cave in.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, misspelling

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Deverbal from cave in.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 落磐 (luòpán) — the act of something collapsing or caving in
  • Danish: sammenstyrtning — the act of something collapsing or caving in
  • Finnish: sortuma — the act of something collapsing or caving in
  • French: éboulement — the act of something collapsing or caving in
  • Galician: afundimento — the act of something collapsing or caving in
  • Polish: zapadnięcie się — the act of something collapsing or caving in
  • Polish: zawalenie się — the act of something collapsing or caving in
  • Polish: załamanie się — the act of something collapsing or caving in
  • Portuguese: desmoronar — the act of something collapsing or caving in
  • Russian: обва́л (obvál) — the act of something collapsing or caving in
  • Russian: зава́л (zavál) — the act of something collapsing or caving in
  • Finnish: sortuma — the location where something has caved in
  • French: éboulement — the location where something has caved in
  • Polish: zapadlisko — the location where something has caved in
  • Russian: обва́л (obvál) — the location where something has caved in
  • Russian: зава́л (zavál) — the location where something has caved in
  • Finnish: myöntyminen — the act of relenting
  • Finnish: taipuminen — the act of relenting
  • Polish: ugięcie się — the act of relenting