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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ceding
Eight years ago, from the same spot, Brooks Koepka elected to chip across the green into a front bunker, essentially ceding a bogey instead of risking a double, triple or worse.
—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Our research found growing concern that organizations are ceding entry-level work to AI systems while reducing opportunities for junior talent to build critical thinking, judgment and interpersonal skills over time.
—
Jennie Glazer,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
That raises further questions for some in Washington about whether industry competitors will ever wind up ceding equity to the administration.
—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
17 June 2026
Even some on the council who sided with Lee have expressed wariness about ceding much of their own power to the mayor.
—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
Carmine ultimately drops out of the race, ceding to Johnny Sac, but remains a key figure and even plays intermediary for New York and Jersey on multiple occasions.
—
Austin Perry Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
But are Democrats in some ways ceding a moral high ground?
—
ABC News,
7 June 2026
The point of the Montrose Grocer is ceding control to someone who knows their cellar.
—
Carrie Honaker,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 June 2026
As protests raged outside banks, leading pundits and politicians suggested ceding power to the President to restore order.
—
Sarita Gupta,
Time,
2 June 2026
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Our research found growing concern that organizations are ceding entry-level work to AI systems while reducing opportunities for junior talent to build critical thinking, judgment and interpersonal skills over time.
—
Jennie Glazer,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
That raises further questions for some in Washington about whether industry competitors will ever wind up ceding equity to the administration.
—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
17 June 2026
Even some on the council who sided with Lee have expressed wariness about ceding much of their own power to the mayor.
—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
Carmine ultimately drops out of the race, ceding to Johnny Sac, but remains a key figure and even plays intermediary for New York and Jersey on multiple occasions.
—
Austin Perry Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
But are Democrats in some ways ceding a moral high ground?
—
ABC News,
7 June 2026
The point of the Montrose Grocer is ceding control to someone who knows their cellar.
—
Carrie Honaker,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 June 2026
As protests raged outside banks, leading pundits and politicians suggested ceding power to the President to restore order.
—
Sarita Gupta,
Time,
2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ceding
Verb
-
Iran also demanded in early April the right to collect tolls as a precondition for relinquishing its chokehold on the strait.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
-
In 2023, ten years after relinquishing the kneeling figures, the Met gave a further 14 items from its collection back to Cambodia.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
When in a group, space out to prevent the current from transferring between individuals.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 June 2026
-
Instead of actual Styrofoam, Artemis missions use the material Avcoat, which slowly burns away, transferring heat away from the Orion crew capsule.—
Margaret Landis,
The Conversation,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
They’d be upset about Article One of the Constitution, the legislative branch abdicating its powers; that is, the people’s power to wage war and to levy tariffs.—
KEN BURNS,
Rolling Stone,
19 May 2026
-
Dinello was right, and The Late Show eventually became late night’s ratings leader—a throne that CBS is now voluntarily abdicating.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
After that victory, Makhachev moved up to welterweight, surrendering his 155-pound title.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
-
Boise’s rough end to May stretched into June, and the first-year club left Madison, Wisconsin, last week surrendering four unanswered goals in the second half for an embarrassing loss.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
Earlier this month, Piper Sandler also initiated coverage of Take-Two , assigning the stock an overweight rating.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
24 June 2026
-
The media blitz shocked some at City Hall, who believed Crowley should have waited until the emergency was over before publicly assigning blame.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
Verb
-
In some cases, positions left vacant by retiring or resigning employees were not filled.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
21 June 2026
-
Under the agreement, Hill would be required to provide at least 60 days written notice before resigning, though the board could accept an earlier departure date.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Pentagon officials, military contractors and lawmakers often claim that the weapons acquisition process is overregulated, rendering it too rigid and slow to keep pace with technological innovation and pacing threats.—
Julia Gledhill,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
-
The California Highway Patrol officer radioed for assistance while rendering medical aid to the couple.—
Noe Padilla,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
William inherited the piece after her death in 1997, eventually bequeathing it to his wife.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
17 June 2026
-
The Cubs bequeathing the dubious distinction of the sport’s longest title drought to Cleveland.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ceding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ceding. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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