resign 1 of 4

Definition of resignnext
as in to abdicate
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 & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

resign (from)

2 of 4

verb (2)

as in to leave
to give up (a job or office) resigned from the company after the news broke that he had been falsifying financial statements for years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

resigned

3 of 4

adjective

resigned

4 of 4

verb (3)

past tense of resign

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of resign are abandon, relinquish, surrender, waive, and yield. While all these words mean "to give up completely," resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle.

resigned her position

When would abandon be a good substitute for resign?

Although the words abandon and resign have much in common, abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up.

abandoned all hope

When is relinquish a more appropriate choice than resign?

The synonyms relinquish and resign are sometimes interchangeable, but relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness.

relinquished her crown

When is it sensible to use surrender instead of resign?

The words surrender and resign can be used in similar contexts, but surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist.

surrendered their claims

Where would waive be a reasonable alternative to resign?

The meanings of waive and resign largely overlap; however, waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion.

waived the right to a trial by jury

When can yield be used instead of resign?

The words yield and resign are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 resign
Verb
His suspension was lifted, and the deputy resigned months later. Holly Yan, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026 Roy was in his second job running a team in the league, following a three-year tenure with the Avalanche from 2013-16 that included winning the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year and abruptly resigning in the middle of the summer. CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The Cowboys are only .500, and the expectations for this team from their resigned fan base are so low that a playoff appearance will qualify as a good year. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2025 But there is a weariness here, too, a resigned cynicism that carries the film into its second act, which zooms ahead some 15 years and finds Perfidia’s child, Willa (Chase Infiniti), now a teenager living in hiding with her father, Bob. Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
Derek Falvey was in the role of president of business and baseball operations and resigned shortly after Tom Pohlad took over. Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 3 Apr. 2026 Rearrange her lyrics and Cates’ intentionally fractured scenes clearly flit between the trepidation, despair, and resigned acceptance familiar to certain locals. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for resign
Recent Examples of Synonyms for resign
Adjective
  • This is a passive strategy that works best when deployed early in the season, before wasps have established real colonies nearby.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2026
  • According to experts, someone can be easygoing without being passive, or flexible while also staying engaged.
    Jenna Ryu, SELF, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Her son, Navaraj, is obedient and dutiful.
    Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Tariffs could be 'hard sell' in election year How obedient will the congressional GOP be to Trump in an election year?
    Justin Papp, CNBC, 23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • October 23 – November 21 Creativity wants a stage — and willing partners.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Kia’s killing, and those of countless Iranian scientists in all parts of the country, demonstrates the lengths to which Israel and the United States are willing to go to ensure that Tehran’s ability to weaponize its nuclear program is significantly curtailed after the war ends.
    Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Trump and his top aides have been inconsistent in their messaging on their goals for the war, vacillating between calls for regime change and far shorter ambitions, such as an Islamic Republic that remains in power under leadership more acquiescent to the United States.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Don’t ask the Constitution to tame a reckless president supported by a cravenly acquiescent Congress.
    Clive Crook, Twin Cities, 25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • And even as his father stood stoic on the sideline, the arena felt the emotional weight of the moment.
    Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
  • And center Jake Slaughter was, well, as stoic as the All-American has ever been.
    Noah White, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • What Spence discovered was that her design aesthetic is a cross of Mediterranean drought tolerant plants and native plants.
    Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Like many other succulents, 'Angelina' stonecrops are drought-tolerant, can grow in sandy or gravelly soil, and thrive in sunny, well-draining conditions.
    Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Gold rose on Tuesday, but remained on track for its steepest monthly decline since October 2008, as persistent inflation worries and expectations of higher interest rates due to the impact of the Iran war weighed on the non-yielding metal.
    Ashitha Shivaprasad, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The prospect of higher interest rates as a result of the war could boost government bonds among investors, at the expense of non-yielding precious metals, market strategists told CNBC recently.
    Joseph Wilkins,Hugh Leask, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Resign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/resign. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.

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