Definition of CEDE

Do you cede or seed control?

Cede means "to yield or grant typically by treaty." Most of the verb senses of seed are concerned with planting seeds (either literal, as of plants, or figuratively, as of ideas). However, the word may also be used to mean "to schedule (tournament players or teams) so that superior ones will not meet in early rounds." If you relinquish or yield something you are ceding it, and if you are organizing the participants in a tournament you are seeding them.

Did You Know?

Cede is often a formal term used in discussing territory and rights, but is also used less formally. So, for example, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the U.S. in 1898, following the Spanish-American War, and the U.S. ceded control of the Panama Canal to Panama in 1999. Critics warn that we are ceding leadership in alternative-energy technology to China. Citizens of one European country or another are always worrying that their own country is ceding too much power to the European Union. A tennis player doesn't have any choice when she cedes her no. 1 ranking to a rival.

Examples of cede in a Sentence

Russia ceded Alaska to the U.S. in 1867. she reluctantly ceded her position as leader

Recent Examples on the Web

But instead of a broad surrender agreement that would cover the entire southwest pocket—which includes Daraa and Qunietra provinces—rebel fighters in individual towns have struck their own deals to cede control to the regime. — Raja Abdulrahim, WSJ, "Syrian Regime Takes Key Border Crossing as More Rebel Towns Surrender," 6 July 2018 The United Nations hopes to persuade the Houthis to cede control of the port to an international committee to avert disruption to aid supplies and further bloodshed. — New York Times, "Battles Rage Around International Airport in Strategic Yemeni City," 16 June 2018 But the archaeological agency has been reluctant to cede control over the monument or invite international experts. — Shashank Bengali, latimes.com, "How air pollution, a dying river and swarms of defecating insects threaten the Taj Mahal," 22 May 2018 Abbas has blamed Hamas and threatened more financial pressure, such as cutting civil servant salaries or fuel purchases, to force the group to cede control. — Fox News, "Palestinians prepare mass demonstrations along Gaza border," 28 Mar. 2018 The answer is at the heart of why the organization might be better off ceding control in the case. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "The NCAA's Own History in MSU's Sexual Assault Scandal Could Impede Any Potential Punishment," 28 Jan. 2018 Chris thought Wills was rude for not ceding his time, but no one else agreed with him. — Melissa Locker, Time, "The Bachelorette Recap: Wayne Newton and a Two-On-One Date Make Vegas Memorable," 26 June 2018 Being a stepparent is a tough job, and there are times — and this is one of them — when a stepparent should make her opinion known, and then cede the final decision to the child’s other two parents. — Amy Dickinson, chicagotribune.com, "Parents disagree about daughter's speeding offense," 17 May 2018 The latest such move came on Thursday when rebels ceded control of Daraa city in south Syria, one of the last remaining antiregime strongholds. — Raja Abdulrahim, WSJ, "Syria’s Former Rebel Strongholds Endure as Assad Regime Reasserts Control," 12 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cede.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.