1
as in relinquished
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
she reluctantly ceded her position as leader
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in transferred
to give over the legal possession or ownership of
Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States as part of the settlement of the Spanish-American War
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in abdicated
to give up (as a position of authority) formally
the President officially cedes his position on the January 20th immediately following the presidential election
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ceded
Wintour has tapped protege and Vogue digital editor Chloe Malle as head of editorial content for the American edition of Vogue, taking the reins from Wintour, who ceded her role leading the publication in June.
—
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Just days after announcing her engagement to Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift ceded some of the spotlight to a fellow NFL WAG celebrating a milestone birthday.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
In the past, union members gladly ceded authority to the union because benefits ensued — more generous pensions, improved working conditions and the like.
—Jill Ebstein, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025
In the view of this faction, Ukraine has ceded too much control over its internal affairs to Europe and the United States.
—Nataliya Gumenyuk, Foreign Affairs, 29 Aug. 2025
The great flip has happened; the mind has ceded its power, and the body reigns supreme.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Saliba and Gabriel would have still likely bossed Nmecha in that scenario, but Piroe was helpless as possession was ceded over his head time after time.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2025
The Munich Agreement The Munich Agreement – the deal that ceded the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia to Adolf Hitler’s Germany in a bid to avert war in Europe — is the granddaddy of historical analogies.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2025
Both his father and grandfather were born in cities that were ceded to Russia following Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s 1939 invasion of Finland and that remain part of Russia today.
—Andrea Mitchell, NBC news, 19 Aug. 2025
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Just days after announcing her engagement to Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift ceded some of the spotlight to a fellow NFL WAG celebrating a milestone birthday.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
In the past, union members gladly ceded authority to the union because benefits ensued — more generous pensions, improved working conditions and the like.
—Jill Ebstein, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025
In the view of this faction, Ukraine has ceded too much control over its internal affairs to Europe and the United States.
—Nataliya Gumenyuk, Foreign Affairs, 29 Aug. 2025
The great flip has happened; the mind has ceded its power, and the body reigns supreme.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Saliba and Gabriel would have still likely bossed Nmecha in that scenario, but Piroe was helpless as possession was ceded over his head time after time.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2025
The Munich Agreement The Munich Agreement – the deal that ceded the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia to Adolf Hitler’s Germany in a bid to avert war in Europe — is the granddaddy of historical analogies.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2025
Both his father and grandfather were born in cities that were ceded to Russia following Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s 1939 invasion of Finland and that remain part of Russia today.
—Andrea Mitchell, NBC news, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ceded
Verb
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Communist Party leaders dismissed the Tibetan leader’s Strasbourg proposal in 1988, in which the Dalai Lama relinquished the demand for full independence and instead proposed genuine autonomy for Tibet under Chinese sovereignty.—
Tenzin Dorjee,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Sep. 2025
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She had been relinquished by her owner to another shelter for chronically attacking her own tail.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Coleman was recruited to Arizona by Fisch and transferred to Washington when the coach was hired in Seattle.—
Joe Davidosn,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Both he and Puka — who started his collegiate career at the University of Washington — transferred to BYU in 2021 after their grandmother, Fa’atamali’i Saole, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.—
Emily Krauser,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Why had Congress abdicated its power to set tariffs?—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
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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
Verb
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Edwin Perez, 26, eventually surrendered to law enforcement.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Mets starter David Peterson surrendered eight runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out one over just two innings.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The public pressure succeeded, and the Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger — who would later become Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 — assigned an exorcist to the Smurl case.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Recruits with the lowest scores on the military's aptitude test are assigned to what is known as Category 4.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The same weekend, King resigned and Dudek, who was at home in his underwear watching MSNBC, got an email stating that the president of the United States had appointed him commissioner.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned on Sunday, bowing to internal party pressure after a poor performance in July legislative elections.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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All of this is rendered with stunning ease by his VFX team, in scenes that look like a news bulletin from the apocalypse.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
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Here, Ne Zha 2 succeeds wildly; locales such as a heavenly city made entirely of jade and a towering, bamboo-verdant waterfall are rendered with genuinely beautiful texture and detail.—
Derek Robertson,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Kenwood painting was part of the Iveagh collection bequeathed by Lord Iveagh in 1927.—
Gareth Harris,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
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Following the funeral, John's sister meets with Oscar and tells him that John has bequeathed his manor upstate to him.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ceded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ceded. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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