Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

resign

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of resign

to give up (as a position of authority) formally

  • following the election, the incumbent cabinet members resigned their positions so the president could feel free to pick a new administration
Synonyms of resign

abdicate, abnegate, cede, relinquish, renounce, step aside (from), step down (from), surrender
Words Related to resign

abjure, demit, deny, disavow, disclaim, disown, waive

forsake, give up, hand over, yield

abandon, desert, quit, vacate
Near Antonyms of resign

appropriate, arrogate, assume, claim, confiscate

seize, take over, usurp, wrest

defend, guard, protect, safeguard, secure

Synonym Discussion of resign

relinquish, yield, resign, surrender, abandon, waive mean to give up completely. relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness.
    • relinquished her crown
yield implies concession or compliance or submission to force.
    • the troops yielded ground grudgingly
resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle.
    • resigned her position
surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist.
    • surrendered their claims
abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up.
    • abandoned all hope
waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion.
    • waived the right to a trial by jury

Learn More about resign

  1. See words that rhyme with resign Dictionary: Definition of resign Spanish Central: Translation of resign Nglish: Translation of resign for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of resign for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up resign? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

panoply

a magnificent or impressive array

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. Spartan Red Cross Warns of Shelter Conditions

  2. hirsute RIP Burt Reynolds

  3. op-ed NYT Publishes Anonymous Piece

  4. collegiality Kavanaugh Mentions Word in Hearing

  5. mistrial Manafort Guilty on 8 Counts

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games