relinquish

Synonym Chooser

How is the word relinquish different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of relinquish are abandon, resign, surrender, waive, and yield. While all these words mean "to give up completely," relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness.

relinquished her crown

Where would abandon be a reasonable alternative to relinquish?

While the synonyms abandon and relinquish are close in meaning, abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up.

abandoned all hope

In what contexts can resign take the place of relinquish?

The synonyms resign and relinquish are sometimes interchangeable, but resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle.

resigned her position

When is surrender a more appropriate choice than relinquish?

In some situations, the words surrender and relinquish are roughly equivalent. However, surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist.

surrendered their claims

When can waive be used instead of relinquish?

The words waive and relinquish can be used in similar contexts, but waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion.

waived the right to a trial by jury

When could yield be used to replace relinquish?

Although the words yield and relinquish have much in common, yield implies concession or compliance or submission to force.

the troops yielded ground grudgingly

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of relinquish Complete gifts require relinquishing all control, a principle upheld in cases like Parkhill v. United States and Linton v. United States. Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 Now, there are signs of upside exhaustion to suggest that MSFT may soon relinquish its leadership stronghold. Katie Stockton, CNBC, 30 June 2025 Germany and the Netherlands, as well as the Smithsonian, have either relinquished or agreed to relinquish ownership of their Benin art works, as have numerous smaller institutions. Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 30 June 2025 Under the pressures of fame and parasocial demands, pop star Poppy relinquishes control to Aura, an AI clone trained on her past content. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for relinquish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relinquish
Verb
  • Octavia Graham, 52, surrendered herself to authorities June 30 following a warrant for her arrest.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 July 2025
  • However, he’s now surrendered four dingers over seven games since coming off the IL.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • The second and final season roars through the climactic storylines from the comic, as Morpheus abdicates his domain, pursued by the Furies, and a new King of Dreams is selected.
    K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 27 June 2025
  • Since a weakened Congress has abdicated its power to the executive, we could sadly be dragged into yet another endless war.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • Chinese electric vehicles are becoming far more attractive, rendering Tesla's cars less appealing, particularly in global markets.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
  • The government says that services rendered while a fugitive from your master are not recognized.
    Jonquilyn Hill, Vox, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • Eric Garrett, who oversaw Ross’ department as CHA’s chief operating officer, resigned Jan. 3 and received around $87,200 per his separation agreement and Tribune calculations.
    Lizzie Kane, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
  • Editor David Shipley and others resigned, and another wave of subscription cancellations followed.
    Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • The Tarte Shape Tape formula delivers full, flawless coverage that instantly brightens dark circles, blurs blemishes, and sculpts the face without feeling heavy.
    Marie Lodi, Allure, 5 July 2025
  • Starting July 11, Newsweek Sports Betting Editor Tyler Everett will deliver his weekly takes on what to bet on during the upcoming weekend -- and why -- ➡️ to your inbox every Friday.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • Who’s on Tennessee death row While the Department of Justice has renounced pentobarbital, Tennessee and about a dozen other states are pushing forward with the drug.
    Kelly Puente, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
  • On Wednesday, Lamont praised Mamdani while noting that Democrats have hardly renounced centrists.
    Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • No matter how much new manufacturing is built in the U.S., many of the materials still only come from China and any delays or missteps cede more ground to China in the middle of a brawl for AI dominance as China rapidly builds more power from coal to wind and solar.
    Jordan Blum, Fortune, 3 July 2025
  • Canada also had a clear 1.19-0.2 xG advantage thanks to a greater quantity and quality of chances created, but fully ceded that edge after halftime and was outshot 8-1 (0.04-0.64).
    Jeff Rueter, New York Times, 30 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Relinquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relinquish. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

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