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
While that new detail is likely to please debt holders, who had proposed that current shareholders inject 8 billion reais, the company rejected other changes sought by creditors, including relinquishing control of the board.
—
Rachel Gamarski, Bloomberg, 26 Apr. 2026
Tarrant County commissioners unanimously decided on Tuesday to put about a quarter mile of road up for sale in hopes of relinquishing control over the stretch.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2026
While the company is seen as relinquishing its multi-year lead on the technology, former Apple insiders said there's still hope.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 6 Apr. 2026
The United States has offered Iran a 15-point proposal for a ceasefire that includes it relinquishing control of the strait, but at the same time has ordered thousands more troops to the region — possibly in preparation for a military attempt to wrest the waterway from Iran.
—David Rising, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
With concerns growing about a global energy crisis, an Iranian official said Tehran had no intention of relinquishing its tight grip on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil.
—Arkansas Online, 18 Mar. 2026
An Iranian official defiantly said Tehran had no intention of relinquishing its tight grip on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil.
—Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
Arizona gave the Knights little reason for hope, racing out to a 27-point lead in the first half and never relinquishing the lead.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026
Researchers warned about relinquishing autonomy without interpretability.
—Victoria Bousis, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026
Rachel Gamarski, Bloomberg, 26 Apr. 2026
Tarrant County commissioners unanimously decided on Tuesday to put about a quarter mile of road up for sale in hopes of relinquishing control over the stretch.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2026
While the company is seen as relinquishing its multi-year lead on the technology, former Apple insiders said there's still hope.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 6 Apr. 2026
The United States has offered Iran a 15-point proposal for a ceasefire that includes it relinquishing control of the strait, but at the same time has ordered thousands more troops to the region — possibly in preparation for a military attempt to wrest the waterway from Iran.
—David Rising, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
With concerns growing about a global energy crisis, an Iranian official said Tehran had no intention of relinquishing its tight grip on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil.
—Arkansas Online, 18 Mar. 2026
An Iranian official defiantly said Tehran had no intention of relinquishing its tight grip on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil.
—Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
Arizona gave the Knights little reason for hope, racing out to a 27-point lead in the first half and never relinquishing the lead.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026
Researchers warned about relinquishing autonomy without interpretability.
—Victoria Bousis, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relinquishing
Verb
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The mall, one of Chicago’s largest, fell on hard times after getting hit by the rise of online retail and then the pandemic, losing its top retailer, Macy’s, in 2021, followed by the owner surrendering control of the property in 2022.—
Brian J. Rogal,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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The defensive effort got Cameron out of the fifth inning without surrendering a run.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In its most hostile version, the same qualities are recast as evidence of his succumbing to spectacle and abdicating basic architectural responsibility.—
Julian Rose,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
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Democratic leaders have accused Congress of abdicating its constitutional role, and some members plan to boycott the address or attend in silent protest.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Officers arrived to find three vehicles involved — each with a single driver — and began rendering aid alongside firefighters and paramedics, per the release.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
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In a position such as lieutenant governor, where much of the office’s duties involve being only one of multi-member boards, radical positions tend to be largely drowned out by the majority, rendering the office even less effective.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Now, with another Chancellor resigning, the Board of Regents must stop asking frontline educators at Charter Oak to accept below-minimum-wage compensation while executive instability continues to consume public and student dollars.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
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Three months after resigning, Anne’s nonprofit TTAM Research Institute purchased 23andMe’s assets for $305 million in July 2025, and the company is reinventing itself as a nonprofit medical research organization rather than a genetic testing kit company.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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According to Korean hair expert Hyerin Jeon, this shampoo features 10,000 ppm of 10 different proteins, including collagen and keratin, delivering salon-grade conditioning at home.—
Iman Balagam,
Vogue,
27 Apr. 2026
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Despite its frequency, the condition has no cure aside from delivering the baby, which can, in turn, lead to premature birth and other complications.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The program calls for the recognition of Israel and renouncing armed struggle, effectively sidelining Hamas and other factions.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Returning to the guitars that characterized the band’s earliest work without renouncing their latter-day synths, MacFarlane gives Graham’s ruminations an urgent tenderness.—
Stephen Thomas Erlewine,
Pitchfork,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Scientists fear the moves will collapse broad investment in fundamental research and talent development, replacing it with a narrow focus on AI, while potentially ceding American scientific dominance to global competitors.—
National Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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For the next 5 minutes, 29 seconds, Dallas set up shop in the Wild zone and never left, cycling through four line changes without ceding the puck.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Relinquishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relinquishing. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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