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
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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
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Recent Examples of relinquish
Andrew relinquished his Duke of York title earlier in the month and, with this move, is stripped of all remaining official honours.
—
Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Prior to his takeover, the sister pageants suffered some shakeups, most notably after the 2023 adult and junior winners, Miss USA Noelia Voigt and Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastav, relinquished their titles.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
These safe haven laws allow parents to relinquish their parental rights within a time limit that differs state to state, according to the National Safe Haven Alliance.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2025
Perhaps Sunday’s home opener against Indiana in front of a raucous Target Center crowd will revive Minnesota’s defensive intensity and the Wolves won’t relinquish it again from there.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relinquish
Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Prior to his takeover, the sister pageants suffered some shakeups, most notably after the 2023 adult and junior winners, Miss USA Noelia Voigt and Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastav, relinquished their titles.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
These safe haven laws allow parents to relinquish their parental rights within a time limit that differs state to state, according to the National Safe Haven Alliance.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2025
Perhaps Sunday’s home opener against Indiana in front of a raucous Target Center crowd will revive Minnesota’s defensive intensity and the Wolves won’t relinquish it again from there.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relinquish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relinquish
Verb
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Shohei Ohtani, who had started the game on short rest and surrendered a three-run blast to Bo Bichette that put the Dodgers in a hole, hacked at a first-pitch cutter inside that Isiah Kiner-Falefa at second base handled easily.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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The Panthers took the lead again in the third period — courtesy of Sam Bennett’s second goal of the season — only to surrender it again on a Mikko Rantanen one-timer with 141 seconds left in regulation.—
Adam H. Beasley,
Miami Herald,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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While initially very popular among his people, by 2013, multiple scandals — including romantic affairs, financial misappropriation and an infamous elephant hunting trip to Africa — led the King to abdicate and pass the throne to his youngest child and only son, King Felipe.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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The last time this protocol was used was when Edward VIII abdicated in 1936.—
Max Foster,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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For the monks or clerics, it is presented as a material substance, carried like a sack of gold on the demon’s back; the metaphors used are monetary or economic, as though the monks owe ordered syllables to God instead of the monetary tithe their vows of poverty render unnecessary.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
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Black can then be found on the tongue and laces, while the midsole is rendered in off-white.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At least 10 prosecutors resigned in protest.—
Molly Ball,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
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Among the ideas floated for a third Trump term is for him to get elected as vice president and then have the president resign.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At the top of the 11th, catcher Will Smith delivered the decisive winning run.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
2 Nov. 2025
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In disputed territories, the drone’s ability to deliver real-time monitoring and rapid response capabilities could give operators a significant tactical advantage, reinforcing control over contested zones, the South China Morning Post writes.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The revelations about the emails led to both Andrew and Sarah renouncing their Duke and Duchess of York titles in the past two weeks.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
28 Oct. 2025
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Comedian Bill Maher suggests New York City Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani should renounce his Ugandan dual citizenship over the country’s record on LGBTQ+ rights, and slams the democratic candidate for his recent meeting with a New York Imam, also criticized for his stance on gay rights.—
The Hill,
The Hill,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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So many seem eager to be rid of the labors of thought and expression—the very labors that define them as free and autonomous human beings—by ceding them to generative artificial intelligence.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
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So that’s it — be fast and agile, willing to cede control to shoppers, even more social, able to see beyond your heritage and ready to work with AI.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Relinquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relinquish. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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