1
as in relinquishing
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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2
as in transferring
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 abdicating
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 ceding
The document also prohibits any leader from ceding Ukrainian land, Farkas said during a recent interview with the Tribune.
—
Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
Munar responded by referencing when his opponent hit a ball into the stands during the third set, with Bergs subsequently penalized a point for ball abuse and ceding that game as a result.
—Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2025
The Biden White House at the time rebutted all concerns, yet the former president’s health while in office remains the object of congressional scrutiny, particularly after he was diagnosed with aggressive cancer shortly after ceding the presidency to Trump in January.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 30 Aug. 2025
But Tesla's performance lagged behind this growth, putting it at risk of ceding long-term market share to aggressive rivals like BYD, which is expanding rapidly with competitive pricing and new models across Europe.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Zelensky has rejected the idea of pulling forces from Donetsk, while signalling an openness to freezing the frontlines, effectively ceding parts of the country to indefinite Russian control – but only if Ukraine receives ironclad security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 28 Aug. 2025
Then last year, TNT Sports walked away from NBA media rights, ceding ground in live sports to NBCUniversal, Disney and Amazon.
—Lillian Rizzo,alex Sherman, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025
Zelensky himself has cited a clause in the Ukrainian constitution that prevents any leader from ceding or transferring any of the country’s territory.
—Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
This after having spent days talking about the possibility of ceding Ukrainian territory as part of some sort of agreement, and chastising Ukraine — invaded unprovoked by a much larger neighbor — of starting the war itself.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2025
Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
Munar responded by referencing when his opponent hit a ball into the stands during the third set, with Bergs subsequently penalized a point for ball abuse and ceding that game as a result.
—Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2025
The Biden White House at the time rebutted all concerns, yet the former president’s health while in office remains the object of congressional scrutiny, particularly after he was diagnosed with aggressive cancer shortly after ceding the presidency to Trump in January.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 30 Aug. 2025
But Tesla's performance lagged behind this growth, putting it at risk of ceding long-term market share to aggressive rivals like BYD, which is expanding rapidly with competitive pricing and new models across Europe.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Zelensky has rejected the idea of pulling forces from Donetsk, while signalling an openness to freezing the frontlines, effectively ceding parts of the country to indefinite Russian control – but only if Ukraine receives ironclad security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 28 Aug. 2025
Then last year, TNT Sports walked away from NBA media rights, ceding ground in live sports to NBCUniversal, Disney and Amazon.
—Lillian Rizzo,alex Sherman, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025
Zelensky himself has cited a clause in the Ukrainian constitution that prevents any leader from ceding or transferring any of the country’s territory.
—Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
This after having spent days talking about the possibility of ceding Ukrainian territory as part of some sort of agreement, and chastising Ukraine — invaded unprovoked by a much larger neighbor — of starting the war itself.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ceding
Verb
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His mother would soon pass, and Agee hadn’t had the opportunity to find a new place to live after relinquishing his apartment pre-Suicide Squad.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Aug. 2025
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While a strong federal government may be central to the Democratic Party's identity, maintaining that objective likely requires relinquishing control from the capital and encouraging state politicos to explore new ways to achieve success.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Responding to his fumble on the goal line, Barnes snagged a 10-yard touchdown pass from Swann midway through the second quarter, on his way to a six catch, 134-yard performance — marking the fourth 100-yard game of his career, his first at the FBS level after transferring from Austin Peay.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Aug. 2025
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When in a group, space out to prevent the current from transferring between individuals.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This isn't about abdicating responsibility.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Everyday New Yorkers are not giving up, are not giving in, are not surrendering.—
John Santucci,
ABC News,
5 Sep. 2025
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The suspect then stumbled and dropped his wig before surrendering, the news outlet reported.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Russia has a long pattern of extrajudicial killings and suspicious deaths of critics, especially journalists and former intelligence officers, but assigning blame is difficult in many cases because of Russian state security.—
Andy Shaw,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
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Lead By Example Too often, tech leaders fail to provide clear direction when assigning complex problems, leaving teams to struggle without guidance and killing morale.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Yokeley, a Republican, served as the chair of the Surry County Board of Elections until resigning on Thursday.—
Ben Brachfeld,
People.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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The removal of the Cherokee was spearheaded in part by former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, who led the company for three years before resigning at the end of 2024 after poor company performance and internal fallout.—
Liam Rappleye,
Freep.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Iconic stories like the Omega Speedmaster timing the re-entry of Apollo 13—rendering it a life-saving and critical device—have cemented the Chronograph’s standing with enthusiasts worldwide.—
Thor Svaboe,
Robb Report,
28 Aug. 2025
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But Shor’s algorithm—a quantum breakthrough—can solve these math problems in minutes, rendering today’s cryptography obsolete.—
Sumera Riaz,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The radio silence in regard to conveying the vision to its members is disrespectful.—
Sukhman Singh,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
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Nevertheless, using humor in a presentation is a powerful tool for engaging an audience, defusing a tense situation, and conveying a sense of authenticity as a leader – if done well.—
Jay Sullivan,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ceding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ceding. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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