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
Those obstructing the process, abdicating their responsibilities, or abstaining from diplomacy will have to eventually face the people.
—
Amitabh Behar, Time, 28 July 2025
Akihito abdicated in 2019, passing the throne to his eldest son, Emperor Naruhito.
—Alex Apatoff, People.com, 15 July 2025
That’s despite the Dolphins and Hurricanes largely abdicating this century, with UM’s last national championship in 2001 and the Fins’ last playoff win in 2000.
—Miami Herald, 3 July 2025
In the wake of this violence, California’s feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for abdicate
Amitabh Behar, Time, 28 July 2025
Akihito abdicated in 2019, passing the throne to his eldest son, Emperor Naruhito.
—Alex Apatoff, People.com, 15 July 2025
That’s despite the Dolphins and Hurricanes largely abdicating this century, with UM’s last national championship in 2001 and the Fins’ last playoff win in 2000.
—Miami Herald, 3 July 2025
In the wake of this violence, California’s feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for abdicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abdicate
Verb
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Elizondo resigned and went public in October 2017 after 10 years of running a Pentagon program to investigate UFO sightings.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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Along with Monarez, the committee will hear from Debra Houry, the former chief medical officer for the CDC, who resigned—alongside two other high-ranking CDC leaders—upon Monarez's ouster.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Keeping the agreement with Norris in mind, McLaren intervened in the situation by asking Piastri to relinquish second place to Norris.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
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In May 2025, Kraft Heinz announced a strategic review aimed at unlocking shareholder value, and Berkshire Hathaway relinquished its board seats, signaling potential structural changes.—
Joe Cornell,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Advertisement Lee also renounced any concept of gender roles, longing for full social equality regardless of gender or race.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
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On another, the Internal Revenue Code stands ready with its expatriation tax regime—potentially ensnaring not only those who voluntarily renounce their citizenship but also those whose citizenship is stripped away.—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abdicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abdicate. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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