1
as in to surrender
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
the boy reluctantly relinquished the illegal fireworks to the police officer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to abdicate
to give up (as a position of authority) formally
the retiring CEO relinquished his position to the company's vice president with very mixed feelings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of relinquish
Furthermore, leaders like George Washington achieved greatness not by hoarding power, but by relinquishing it.
—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Many first-generation wealth creators remain reluctant to relinquish control, particularly in Asia, where fortunes are often closely associated with a family patriarch or matriarch.
—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Originally foreseen as the second Air Jordan of Michael’s post-player era, the Air Jordan 16 was designed by Wilson Smith III after Tinker Hatfield relinquished the reins.
—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
18 June 2026
The military relinquished its remaining ownership stake in the 1990s.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for relinquish
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Many first-generation wealth creators remain reluctant to relinquish control, particularly in Asia, where fortunes are often closely associated with a family patriarch or matriarch.
—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Originally foreseen as the second Air Jordan of Michael’s post-player era, the Air Jordan 16 was designed by Wilson Smith III after Tinker Hatfield relinquished the reins.
—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
18 June 2026
The military relinquished its remaining ownership stake in the 1990s.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for relinquish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relinquish
Verb
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In a friendly in Tokyo last October, Brazil surrendered a two-goal halftime lead and watched Japan pull ahead for an eventual 3-2 victory.
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More than 700 dogs remain unaccounted for Investigators have reviewed records showing that 918 dogs had been surrendered and transferred to Miranda’s Rescue from January 2025 to April 2026, Honsal said.
Verb
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Aemond is not going to back down, and Aegon has already ditched his plan to abdicate.
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Edward shared the news of his engagement and plan to abdicate during a BBC radio broadcast in December 1936.
Verb
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About 11,000 light-years away from Earth, the supernova Cassiopeia A’s X-rays (seen above) are rendered in blue and purple, while infrared wavelengths are shown in red and white using data from JWST.
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Still, Twain squandered his own fortune and Livy’s inheritance on developing Paige’s invention, even as the Mergenthaler Linotype became the industry standard, rendering Paige’s machine worthless.
Verb
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Greg Chavarria resigned in 2024, then Susan Grant served almost a year as acting city manager.
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Scotland Coach Steve Clarke Resigns Steve Clarke has resigned as head coach after leading Scotland to its first men’s World Cup in 28 years.
Verb
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On June 23, an attendant at a gas station in the center of Moscow told CNN that tankers were still arriving and delivering fuel according to schedule.
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The unique vow arrangement saw both Swift and Kelce deliver 20-minute speeches celebrating their love and commitment to one another.
Verb
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What follows are dozens of examples of how those whose names are familiar (or aren’t) and legendary (or infamous) for their actions while representing the state have been embraced (or renounced) by the rest of the country and beyond.
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If the Lakers renounce all their free agents except for Reaves, hacking their books with machete, the team would have Dončić, Jared Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, Bronny James (partial guarantee) and Adou Theiro under contract.
Verb
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But rather than cede ground to an outsider, the town's residents plant TNT in every single structure, blowing them up before Lassiter can get his hands on them.
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The Microsoft 365 Copilot AI assistant has yet to gain anything approaching ubiquity in the business world, and the GitHub Copilot coding agent has ceded market share to newer players.
Cite this Entry
“Relinquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relinquish. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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