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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Recent Examples of ceded
The league already ceded its regular season to the offseason, leaning into free agency drama as a driving source of year-round intrigue, letting team-building trump teamwork.
—
Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Although reported to be in strong health for her age, Ono has rarely appeared in public this decade and has ceded oversight of Lennon’s archives to the couple’s son, Sean.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 21 May 2026
And the change comes after Marvel ceded its position of comics market share leader for the first time this century, losing it to historic rival DC and the runaway success of its Absolute Universe line.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2026
For example, Congress has routinely failed to pass an annual budget on time and instead relies on continuing resolutions, has ceded its war powers responsibilities and has conducted insufficient oversight of the executive branch.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Leavitt quickly ceded the mic to Colin Jost‘s Pete Hegseth.
—William Earl, Variety, 3 May 2026
But if the entire area was ceded back to the District of Columbia, the electoral advantage in the new districts would be dulled and new districts would be drawn in light of the state’s shrunken footprint.
—Jesse Bedayn, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2026
At the institute, McMahon ceded policy to others.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
London’s Victoria and Albert Museum ceded to censorship requests issued by the Chinese firm that prints the institution’s exhibition catalogues, according to a new report from The Guardian, who unearthed the information via FOIA requests.
—News Desk, Artforum, 16 Apr. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Although reported to be in strong health for her age, Ono has rarely appeared in public this decade and has ceded oversight of Lennon’s archives to the couple’s son, Sean.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 21 May 2026
And the change comes after Marvel ceded its position of comics market share leader for the first time this century, losing it to historic rival DC and the runaway success of its Absolute Universe line.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2026
For example, Congress has routinely failed to pass an annual budget on time and instead relies on continuing resolutions, has ceded its war powers responsibilities and has conducted insufficient oversight of the executive branch.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Leavitt quickly ceded the mic to Colin Jost‘s Pete Hegseth.
—William Earl, Variety, 3 May 2026
But if the entire area was ceded back to the District of Columbia, the electoral advantage in the new districts would be dulled and new districts would be drawn in light of the state’s shrunken footprint.
—Jesse Bedayn, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2026
At the institute, McMahon ceded policy to others.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
London’s Victoria and Albert Museum ceded to censorship requests issued by the Chinese firm that prints the institution’s exhibition catalogues, according to a new report from The Guardian, who unearthed the information via FOIA requests.
—News Desk, Artforum, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ceded
Verb
-
Rudin relinquished his Broadway producing duties in 2021 following allegations of bullying but returned last season with a transfer of Little Bear Ridge Road, also starring Metcalf.—
Vulture Editors,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
-
In West Oakland, an old Greyhound terminal on Market Street converted to 102 apartments nearly a mile from a BART station relinquished the building back to the lender last year.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
In the motion submitted May 1, Cassie argued that Howard's lawsuit should be transferred out of California courts and into a New York court, where dozens of similar Diddy claims were already filed.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
-
Branch transferred to Georgia from the University of Southern California before the 2025 season and quickly became one of the Bulldogs' top offensive weapons.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Queen Elizabeth's uncle Edward VIII abdicated the throne within a year of his ascension in order to marry a two-time divorcée, Wallis Simpson.—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
-
The Thorns were so concerned with Chawinga in that moment that the two defenders who went to try to force her onto her left foot completely abdicated the space that Hopkins was targeting with her run forward.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The man eventually surrendered the gun, and the officers took him into custody.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
-
Buckley reminded him that Germany surrendered after the firebombing of Dresden.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Salazar said a pilot monitors the radio and can dispatch a drone before a call is even assigned to a patrol officer, with live video feeding directly to officers’ mobile computers and phones.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
-
While each has been assigned a name — Wilsis, Laura Asia, Carlota and Julia — their true personalities come out in the way Plensa has depicted them, with their eyes closed and in some apparent state of peaceful meditation.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
The meeting was the agency’s first since FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
29 May 2026
-
Dustman resigned from the department in August 2025.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
The Justice Department alleges the two businesses submitted fraudulent claims for services that were never rendered.—
Luke Barr,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
-
The order rendered her previous efforts meaningless.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The pooches were bequeathed to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson when Britain's longest-reigning monarch died in 2022.—
Jennifer Hassan,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
-
To mark the occasion, Heritage Auctions is auctioning 101 lots online containing personal items that belonged to Norman and Hedda Rosten, two close friends of Monroe for the last seven years of her life, bequeathed to them over the course of their friendship.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ceded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ceded. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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