1
as in to surrender
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
the boy reluctantly relinquished the illegal fireworks to the police officer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to abdicate
to give up (as a position of authority) formally
the retiring CEO relinquished his position to the company's vice president with very mixed feelings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of relinquish
Furthermore, leaders like George Washington achieved greatness not by hoarding power, but by relinquishing it.
—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Many first-generation wealth creators remain reluctant to relinquish control, particularly in Asia, where fortunes are often closely associated with a family patriarch or matriarch.
—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Originally foreseen as the second Air Jordan of Michael’s post-player era, the Air Jordan 16 was designed by Wilson Smith III after Tinker Hatfield relinquished the reins.
—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
18 June 2026
The military relinquished its remaining ownership stake in the 1990s.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for relinquish
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Many first-generation wealth creators remain reluctant to relinquish control, particularly in Asia, where fortunes are often closely associated with a family patriarch or matriarch.
—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Originally foreseen as the second Air Jordan of Michael’s post-player era, the Air Jordan 16 was designed by Wilson Smith III after Tinker Hatfield relinquished the reins.
—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
18 June 2026
The military relinquished its remaining ownership stake in the 1990s.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for relinquish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relinquish
Verb
-
In a friendly in Tokyo last October, Brazil surrendered a two-goal halftime lead and watched Japan pull ahead for an eventual 3-2 victory.
-
More than 700 dogs remain unaccounted for Investigators have reviewed records showing that 918 dogs had been surrendered and transferred to Miranda’s Rescue from January 2025 to April 2026, Honsal said.
Verb
-
Edward shared the news of his engagement and plan to abdicate during a BBC radio broadcast in December 1936.
-
Queen Elizabeth's uncle Edward VIII abdicated the throne within a year of his ascension in order to marry a two-time divorcée, Wallis Simpson.
Verb
-
Issues like slow image rendering on mobile devices or videos failing to auto-crop correctly—such as losing the subject when switching between portrait and landscape views—are often perceived as minor.
-
Faux snakeskin takes the place of the woven Kevlar panel that usually defines the model, while the long mudguard beneath is rendered in black nubuck.
Verb
-
Greg Chavarria resigned in 2024, then Susan Grant served almost a year as acting city manager.
-
Scotland Coach Steve Clarke Resigns Steve Clarke has resigned as head coach after leading Scotland to its first men’s World Cup in 28 years.
Verb
-
Subscribe Sign Up ARTnews Today Newsletter Up-to-the-minute art news, delivered straight to your inbox.
-
Album with Major Performance Cardi B delivered a high-energy performance of multiple tracks from her Am I the Drama?
Verb
-
What follows are dozens of examples of how those whose names are familiar (or aren’t) and legendary (or infamous) for their actions while representing the state have been embraced (or renounced) by the rest of the country and beyond.
-
If the Lakers renounce all their free agents except for Reaves, hacking their books with machete, the team would have Dončić, Jared Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, Bronny James (partial guarantee) and Adou Theiro under contract.
Verb
-
As Jimmy is looking for options to simultaneously cut costs and jettison the property entirely, Sydney is trying to figure out how to do a dinner service with a pantry that’s nearly empty and a former mentor/partner/colleague, in Carmy, who is very bad at actually ceding control.
-
And then there was Rafael Devers’ failure to cede first base after a ninth inning walk on Sunday.
Cite this Entry
“Relinquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relinquish. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
