give in to — yield to temptation
phrasal verbC1IELTS 7+neutralcommon
to allow yourself to be controlled by a feeling, desire, or temptation, especially when you know you probably should not
Say it like a native
Textbook I succumbed to the temptation of the dessert.
Native I gave in to temptation and had the cake.
'Give in to temptation' is the set phrase; 'succumb to' is literary/formal.
Pattern: give in to + [abstract noun] (e.g. temptation, pressure, desire)
In use
- Despite her best efforts, she eventually gave in to the temptation of eating chocolate late at night.psychology
- Many people struggle to maintain healthy habits because they frequently give in to the urge to procrastinate or indulge in unhealthy foods.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ I gave in the temptation.
✓ I gave in to temptation.
Don't drop 'to' — it's 'give in TO temptation / the urge'.
Common collocations
give in to + temptation/urge— temptation, the urge, cravings, a craving
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B2 sense of 'give in to' (agreeing after refusing someone else's request), this sense is about surrendering to an internal feeling or temptation, not to another person's demands.
Related
- give in to (agree after refusing) — 'give in to' also has the more basic meaning 'agree after refusing'; this is the advanced sense.