“Caved” is the past tense of the verb “cave.” The verb “cave” has several meanings, and the synonyms for “caved” will depend on the specific meaning it is being used in.
1. When “caved” means “collapsed”
- Fell in: This phrase is a very close synonym. For example, “The roof of the old building caved (fell in) after the heavy rain.” “Fell in” vividly describes the action of a structure collapsing inward.
- Collapsed: It is the most straightforward synonym. For example, “The tunnel caved (collapsed) during the earthquake.” It directly conveys the idea of a structure giving way and falling down.
- Gave way: This phrase implies that the structure could no longer support the pressure and failed. For example, “The walls of the cave caved (gave way) under the weight of the rocks above.”
2. When “caved” means “yielded” or “submitted”
- Gave in: This is a very common synonym. For example, “He caved (gave in) to the pressure from his friends and joined the party.” “Gave in” emphasizes the act of surrendering or conceding to something, usually due to external influence.
- Submitted: It implies a more formal or reluctant yielding. For example, “The rebels caved (submitted) after a long siege.” It has a sense of surrendering to a stronger force or authority.
- Succumbed: This word often implies a giving in to something that is difficult to resist, such as temptation or a powerful influence. For example, “She caved (succumbed) to the temptation of eating the delicious cake.”