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
Queen Margrethe later abdicated on Jan. 14, 2024, making her elder son King Frederik X of Denmark.
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Janine Henni, People.com, 6 June 2025
Khalil is the bridge through which the film makes its arguments about the hypocrisy of élite liberal education, which feeds on ideals of free inquiry and free speech and abdicates its responsibility in freeing people.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 17 May 2025
Seen for First Time Since Hospitalization King Frederik assumed the throne in January 2024, following Queen Margrethe's decision to abdicate.
—Meredith Kile, People.com, 28 May 2025
Akihito, who ascended to the throne after his father, Hirohito, died in 1989, became the first Japanese monarch in 200 years to abdicate his post.
—Chris Lau, CNN Money, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for abdicate
Janine Henni, People.com, 6 June 2025
Khalil is the bridge through which the film makes its arguments about the hypocrisy of élite liberal education, which feeds on ideals of free inquiry and free speech and abdicates its responsibility in freeing people.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 17 May 2025
Seen for First Time Since Hospitalization King Frederik assumed the throne in January 2024, following Queen Margrethe's decision to abdicate.
—Meredith Kile, People.com, 28 May 2025
Akihito, who ascended to the throne after his father, Hirohito, died in 1989, became the first Japanese monarch in 200 years to abdicate his post.
—Chris Lau, CNN Money, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for abdicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abdicate
Verb
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His third Cabinet resigned in January 2021 following a parliamentary report that found that as many as 10,000 families were forced to repay thousands of euros after they had been wrongly accused of welfare fraud.—
Adam Rasmi,
Time,
20 June 2025
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Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 has hired an administrator experienced in curriculum to be its new assistant superintendent for student learning to replace Laurie Fiorenza who resigned, effective June 30, without explanation in April.—
Bob Skolnik,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2025
Verb
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Do it, talk to each other, ask questions, reach out to members, and remember that no one has ever relinquished power willingly, even for things as small as better hours, or more holiday time.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
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Jean-Baptiste Voisin, chief strategy officer at LVMH, relinquished his responsibilities as head of LVMH Métiers d’Art and will now take on leadership of LVMH Media Research and Brand Image teams, previously helmed by Mathilde Delhoume, who is also taking on new responsibilities.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
23 June 2025
Verb
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The justices who renounced that lie in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Center exposed themselves to scurrilous criticisms and even threats to their safety.—
The Editors,
National Review,
24 June 2025
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Syria's new government, led by a former affiliate of ISIS and Al-Qaeda who has renounced jihadi ties in recent years, has vowed to continue efforts to battle ISIS.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abdicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abdicate. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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