Synonyms of resign

resign 1 of 4

verb (1)

ri-ˈzīn 

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

• abdicate
• relinquish
• renounce
• cede
• surrender
• deny
• vacate
• waive
• step down (from)
• step aside (from)
• abnegate
• abandon
• disown
• disavow
• demit
• forsake
• abjure
• disclaim
• quit
• yield
• hand over
• give up
• desert

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• assume
• claim
• appropriate
• protect
• seize
• confiscate
• defend
• take over
• arrogate
• secure
• usurp
• guard
• safeguard
• wrest

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

• leave
• retire (from)
• quit
• give notice
• step aside (from)
• step down (from)
• chuck
• abandon
• vacate
• bag
• throw up
• drop out (of)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stay (at)
• keep
• hire (out)
• join
• sign on (for)

resigned

3 of 4

adjective

ri-ˈzīnd 

as in passive

receiving or enduring without offering resistance

I am resigned to the fact that I'll never make the list of the 400 richest Americans

Synonyms & Similar Words

• passive
• obedient
• willing
• acquiescent
• stoic
• tolerant
• tolerating
• yielding
• nonresistant
• surrendering
• subordinate
• patient
• compliant
• unresistant
• docile
• uncomplaining
• complying
• impassive
• forbearing
• conformist
• submissive
• pliant
• conformable
• long-suffering
• amiable
• pliable
• tractable
• amenable
• subservient
• agreeable
• obliging
• apathetic
• unresponsive
• uncaring
• manageable
• disciplined
• obeisant
• governable
• guidable
• law-abiding
• slavish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• protesting
• resistant
• resisting
• defiant
• unyielding
• uncontrollable
• contrary
• mutinous
• rebellious
• intractable
• insubordinate
• contumacious
• restive
• disobedient
• refractory
• recalcitrant
• ungovernable
• unruly
• insurgent
• wayward
• balky
• willful
• wrongheaded
• perverse
• headstrong
• indomitable
• untoward
• undisciplined
• unmanageable
• dissident
• incompliant
• froward
• nonconformist

resigned

4 of 4

verb (3)

past tense of resign

as in relinquished

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

• relinquished
• abdicated
• renounced
• ceded
• denied
• surrendered
• vacated
• stepped down (from)
• waived
• stepped aside (from)
• disavowed
• abnegated
• abandoned
• disowned
• disclaimed
• demitted
• forsook
• abjured
• deserted
• handed over
• quit
• gave up
• yielded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• assumed
• claimed
• appropriated
• confiscated
• seized
• took over
• protected
• secured
• arrogated
• defended
• usurped
• guarded
• wrested
• safeguarded

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

Recent Examples of resign

Verb

He was appointed in January 2007 by then Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver—himself later convicted of corruption—after his predecessor Alan Hevesi resigned and went to prison. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 June 2026

David Cameron resigned after campaigning for Remain and losing the 2016 referendum. —Hugh Leask, CNBC, 22 June 2026

Adjective

Kok clapped with a resigned look on her face after Leerdam’s time flashed on the screen. —Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026

Southwest’s open seating policy, in place for decades, ended more with a resigned sigh than a furious uproar. —Zach Wichter, USA Today, 28 Jan. 2026

Verb

This does not extend to members who resigned, as Greene did in January. —Irene Wright, USA Today, 18 June 2026

There was a message there, for certain, the kind of message teams send about when they are no longer resigned to losing, will no longer allow hitters to dig in, crowd the plate, swing from the heels with impunity. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2026

Phrases Containing resign

• resign (from)