1
as in to relinquish
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 to assign
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
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3
as in to abdicate
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 cede
Trump at the same time threatened tariffs of up to 25% on eight NATO members if the island is not ceded.
—
Sarah Min, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2026
Denmark does not want to cede control of Greenland to the United States.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026
The Chagos Islands have been under British control since 1814, when they were ceded by France.
—Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
The economic disruption that followed forced a rethink of trade policy, and Congress responded by ceding more authority to the President.
—Inu Manak, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cede
Sarah Min, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2026
Denmark does not want to cede control of Greenland to the United States.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026
The Chagos Islands have been under British control since 1814, when they were ceded by France.
—Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
The economic disruption that followed forced a rethink of trade policy, and Congress responded by ceding more authority to the President.
—Inu Manak, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cede
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cede
Verb
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People do not readily relinquish authority.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
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Willis would never relinquish that varsity bag.—
Clark Fahrenthold,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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His remarks to reporters earlier today were the first since the president assigned him to lead federal operations in Minnesota, after Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino made his exit this week.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
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The News predicts the UIL will assign DeSoto to a new-look District 7-5AI that will also include Cedar Hill, Crandall, Lancaster, Mesquite, Midlothian, North Mesquite and West Mesquite.—
Myah Taylor,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Congress, meanwhile, has largely abdicated its regulatory role, lulled into inaction by Silicon Valley’s campaign dollars and lobbying power.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
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The same could be said for Frederik's mother, Queen Margrethe II, 85, who two years ago voluntarily abdicated the throne to make way for her son.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Only later did Wright discover that Valerio was surrendered to the shelter after biting his previous owner’s elderly mother in the face.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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Brooklyn surrendered just four points over a long stretch, and Sharpe’s steal led to a Tyrese Martin breakaway dunk that tied the game at 70.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Lebanon OKs Syrian prisoner transfer deal BEIRUT -- Lebanon's Cabinet on Friday approved an agreement to transfer Syrian prisoners serving their sentences in Lebanon back to their home country.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
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When you’re finished recording, launch the Plaud app on your phone and the Note Pro connects and automatically begins transferring the file via Bluetooth.—
Dwight Silverman,
Houston Chronicle,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And several federal prosecutors in Minnesota resigned amid pressure to look into Good's widow and treat the case as an assault on a federal officer, CBS News has reported.—
Scott MacFarlane,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Three months later, a critical engineering group resigns together.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Even so, Elder, in the memorandum to the commission, said a future rise in the number of household shoppers may render the parking inadequate.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
3 Feb. 2026
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That mark and the mustache appear in brand-staple forest green, while the rest of the upper is rendered in cream, including a T-toe that appears to be constructed with rubber rather than leather.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As outré as Camel Lights gets, the presence of such treasured guests and ideas apparently rattling around Geologist’s brain for 28 years conveys the sense that this is a genuinely personal work—not a one-off novelty.—
Zach Schonfeld,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
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Tech CFOs are tasked with conveying that strategy clearly to investors, bridging the gap between bold spending and long-term returns.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cede.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cede. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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