resign

1 of 2

verb (1)

re·​sign ri-ˈzīn How to pronounce resign (audio)
resigned; resigning; resigns

transitive verb

1
: relegate, consign
especially : to give (oneself) over without resistance
resigned herself to her fate
2
: to give up deliberately
especially : to renounce (something, such as a right or position) by a formal act

intransitive verb

1
: to give up one's office or position : quit
2
: to accept something as inevitable : submit
resignedness noun
resigner noun

re-sign

2 of 2

verb (2)

re-signed; re-signing; re-signs

transitive verb

: to sign again
especially : to rehire (someone, such as an athlete) by means of a signed contract

intransitive verb

: to sign up again
Choose the Right Synonym for resign

relinquish, yield, resign, surrender, abandon, waive mean to give up completely.

relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness.

relinquished her crown

yield implies concession or compliance or submission to force.

the troops yielded ground grudgingly

resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle.

resigned her position

surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist.

surrendered their claims

abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up.

abandoned all hope

waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion.

waived the right to a trial by jury

abdicate, renounce, resign mean to give up a position with no possibility of resuming it.

abdicate implies a giving up of sovereign power or sometimes an evading of responsibility such as that of a parent.

abdicated the throne

renounce may replace it but often implies additionally a sacrifice for a greater end.

renounced her inheritance by marrying a commoner

resign applies to the giving up of an unexpired office or trust.

resigned from the board

Examples of resign in a Sentence

Verb (1) The senator was forced to resign his position. The newspaper's editor resigned after the scandal. He resigned from his job as principal of the school.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
David Ryder | Bloomberg | Getty Images A Microsoft engineer is resigning after 13 years at the software giant, claiming the company continues to sell cloud services to the Israeli military and that executives won’t discuss the war in Gaza. Jordan Novet, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025 Lecornu abruptly resigned Monday, only hours after unveiling a new Cabinet that drew opposition from a key coalition partner. NPR, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
The team will see several of its key players hit free agency and could opt to re-sign many of them, including Trent Grisham, Paul Goldschmidt and Luke Weaver. Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025 Mitchell, who re-signed with the Heat on a two-year contract worth $24 million in free agency this past offseason, was dealt to Miami as part of the Jimmy Butler trade midway through last season. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for resign

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French resigner, from Latin resignare, literally, to unseal, cancel, from re- + signare to sign, seal — more at sign

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

1805, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of resign was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Resign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resign. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

resign

verb
re·​sign ri-ˈzīn How to pronounce resign (audio)
1
: to give up by a formal or official act
resign an office
2
: to give up an office or position : quit
3
: to yield to without resistance
resign oneself to disappointment

More from Merriam-Webster on resign

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