as in to resign
to give up (as a position of authority) formally
the revolutionary government forced Nicholas II to abdicate the Russian throne
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Recent Examples of abdicate
Commentators have compared the pressures facing the House of Windsor to 1936, when King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
—
Danica Kirka, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Commentators have compared the pressures facing the House of Windsor to 1936, when King Edward VIII abdicated the thrown to marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
—ABC News, 24 Feb. 2026
Democratic leaders have accused Congress of abdicating its constitutional role, and some members plan to boycott the address or attend in silent protest.
—Nik Popli, Time, 23 Feb. 2026
The board of the South Broward Hospital District (Memorial Healthcare System) abdicated its leadership role and allowed Strum to take over as Memorial’s interim CEO.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abdicate
Danica Kirka, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Commentators have compared the pressures facing the House of Windsor to 1936, when King Edward VIII abdicated the thrown to marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
—ABC News, 24 Feb. 2026
Democratic leaders have accused Congress of abdicating its constitutional role, and some members plan to boycott the address or attend in silent protest.
—Nik Popli, Time, 23 Feb. 2026
The board of the South Broward Hospital District (Memorial Healthcare System) abdicated its leadership role and allowed Strum to take over as Memorial’s interim CEO.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abdicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abdicate
Verb
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Of the 21 judges who worked at the city’s immigration court in January 2025, nine judges have resigned, taken buyouts or been terminated, a Tribune review found.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
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Jon Armstrong, the third co-founder, resigned years ago, according to court documents.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But trade for both, and relinquish a first-round pick in both deals?—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
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Government has longer-term leverage Despite the shift toward commercial technology, defense leaders are unlikely to relinquish control over mission critical systems.—
Barbara Booth,
CNBC,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Earlier this month, a multi-party parliamentary commission recommended a series of reforms, including the reintegration of PKK members who renounce violence, while stressing that legal steps should be tied to state security institutions verifying that the group has surrendered its weapons.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Feb. 2026
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Some reports indicate Andrew is considering renouncing his spot in the line of succession in order to avoid jail time.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abdicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abdicate. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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