1
as in surrendering
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 abdicating
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 relinquishing
Republicans relinquishing control of one or both chambers of Congress in 2026 will render the president a lame duck for the remainder of his second term, and Democrats have an early 4-point advantage on generic congressional ballot polling.
—
Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2025
McMillon said that as AI continues to proliferate and impact the ways that people’s lives and daily activities work, Walmart needs to stay an active part of the transformation, even if that means relinquishing control of how that technology evolves.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 4 Nov. 2025
Yet, despite this military setback, the militia in Lebanon shows no intention of relinquishing its weapons.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025
The United States Military Academy graduate won just months after the previous winner, Noelia Voigt, shocked the world by relinquishing her crown, a bombshell action that was also taken by her younger counterpart, Miss Teen USA 2023.
—Alma Cooper, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
In Madagascar, Rajoelina has shown no signs of relinquishing power following his removal.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Analysts warn the plan hinges on Hamas fully disarming and relinquishing power — conditions seen as unlikely.
—Cameron Schoppa, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The risks associated with relinquishing control over my mobility also give me pause.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2025
Liberation lies in relinquishing projection, in surrendering the desire for children to mirror our priorities and accomplishments.
—Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2025
McMillon said that as AI continues to proliferate and impact the ways that people’s lives and daily activities work, Walmart needs to stay an active part of the transformation, even if that means relinquishing control of how that technology evolves.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 4 Nov. 2025
Yet, despite this military setback, the militia in Lebanon shows no intention of relinquishing its weapons.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025
The United States Military Academy graduate won just months after the previous winner, Noelia Voigt, shocked the world by relinquishing her crown, a bombshell action that was also taken by her younger counterpart, Miss Teen USA 2023.
—Alma Cooper, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
In Madagascar, Rajoelina has shown no signs of relinquishing power following his removal.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Analysts warn the plan hinges on Hamas fully disarming and relinquishing power — conditions seen as unlikely.
—Cameron Schoppa, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The risks associated with relinquishing control over my mobility also give me pause.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2025
Liberation lies in relinquishing projection, in surrendering the desire for children to mirror our priorities and accomplishments.
—Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relinquishing
Verb
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How to Watch Arizona Cardinals vs Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys struggled defensively in their 44-24 road loss to the Denver Broncos last week, surrendering four touchdown passes and 426 yards of offense.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Nov. 2025
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Andrew might not move to Sandringham until after the Christmas holidays, another source said, because giving notice, surrendering the lease and orchestrating the move is expected to take some time.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And if that’s true, what would prohibit Congress from just abdicating all responsibility to regulate foreign commerce, for that matter, declare war, to the president.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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Far from abdicating responsibility, these young adults were embracing it and moving, however slowly, into their future roles of caring for us.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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However, the amount of money actually saved by the department has been called into question and Musk has since left the administration, rendering DOGE somewhat defunct.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
6 Jan. 2026
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However, the amount of money actually saved by the department has been called into question and Musk has since left the administration, rendering DOGE somewhat defunct.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Runcie ended up resigning in 2021, after a statewide grand jury indicted him on a perjury charge.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Jan. 2026
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Instead of resigning yourself to this mess, this hanging toiletry bag is an excellent storage hack that will keep everything from hair products to skincare in one neat, easy-to-locate pouch.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As Su highlighted in her address, AI applications range from the lab bench to delivering healthcare, flying airplanes, to household robots, and much more.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Jan. 2026
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Volunteer opportunities include assisting senior shoppers and restocking shelves at the organization’s grocery store, translating materials, packing groceries in the warehouse or delivering bags to senior residences.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Margaret’s father succeeded him as King George VI, and her mother Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, never forgave the duke for renouncing his duty to his country.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
29 Dec. 2025
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Ukraine withdrawing from all of the Donbas, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, and Kyiv officially renouncing its aim to join NATO.—
Andrea Shalal,
USA Today,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The hosts, after ceding control of Game 1, pressed Miami and made the match scrappy.—
Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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So many seem eager to be rid of the labors of thought and expression—the very labors that define them as free and autonomous human beings—by ceding them to generative artificial intelligence.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Relinquishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relinquishing. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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