surrender 1 of 2

Definition of surrendernext
1
as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress the toddler surrendered the doll to her mother after a brief struggle the commander surrendered the garrison without having fired a single shot

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2
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as in to capitulate
to yield to the control or power of enemy forces General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865, thus ending the Civil War

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6
as in to indulge
to give (oneself) over to something especially unrestrainedly laid-off workers who surrender themselves to despair will almost certainly never regain their footing

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surrender

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noun

as in submission
the usually forced yielding of one's person or possessions to the control of another the police demanded the surrender of all hostages as a condition for allowing the hijackers safe passage out of the country

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Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of surrender are abandon, relinquish, resign, waive, and yield. While all these words mean "to give up completely," surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist.

surrendered their claims

In what contexts can abandon take the place of surrender?

While the synonyms abandon and surrender are close in meaning, abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up.

abandoned all hope

When might relinquish be a better fit than surrender?

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

relinquished her crown

When would resign be a good substitute for surrender?

The words resign and surrender are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle.

resigned her position

When can waive be used instead of surrender?

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

waived the right to a trial by jury

When is it sensible to use yield instead of surrender?

In some situations, the words yield and surrender are roughly equivalent. However, 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 surrender
Verb
Tyson, who surrendered himself to authorities, was arrested on June 4, months after Nuñez and Jones were handcuffed. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 26 June 2026 The cornerback remains held on no bond after surrendering to authorities. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 25 June 2026
Noun
For example, insurance surrender payouts in Korea jumped 16% in the first quarter of the year, according to the Korea Herald citing industry data, as Koreans cashed out their policies in order to pour money into Korean stocks. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 23 June 2026 Europe, by contrast, appears to be debating the terms of its own industrial surrender. Andy Browne, semafor.com, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for surrender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surrender
Verb
  • But for Iran, reopening the strait does not mean relinquishing control of it.
    Eleni Giokos, CNN Money, 27 June 2026
  • Neusch relinquished fire control to the bio-andy’s tactical routines.
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Sydney briefly, and understandably, succumbed to the impulse to lash out, something that Carmy has done on more than one occasion while acting as head chef.
    Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 June 2026
  • Ryan was pronounced dead at the scene, while Andrew succumbed to his injuries six days later.
    David Chiu, PEOPLE, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Hertel succeeded former Director Robert Gordon, who resigned and received a $155,000 separation deal.
    DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 23 June 2026
  • That is why will resign as leader of the Labour Party.
    Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • The city has already submitted an application to its current energy provider, the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA), to be considered for an up to five megawatt battery storage system.
    Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026
  • Her death was initially ruled an accident, and Vander Meer later submitted a life insurance claim with a payout totaling about $567,439, authorities said.
    Kori McNair, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • Onboard, guests can indulge at eight different restaurants, ranging in style from Pan-Asian and French to poolside pizza and a steakhouse.
    Megan duBois, Southern Living, 25 June 2026
  • Chris is a freelance journalist who, when not writing, skywatching, playing games or building Lego, indulges his taste for horror, sci-fi and the post-apocalyptic.
    Chris McMullen, Space.com, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • Three drugs in active clinical development could reshape how doctors approach androgenetic alopecia in both men and women, and the first regulatory submissions are already underway.
    Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2026
  • Clascoterone is completing its safety dataset with regulatory submissions already in motion.
    Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Issues like slow image rendering on mobile devices or videos failing to auto-crop correctly—such as losing the subject when switching between portrait and landscape views—are often perceived as minor.
    Tal Lev-Ami, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • Faux snakeskin takes the place of the woven Kevlar panel that usually defines the model, while the long mudguard beneath is rendered in black nubuck.
    Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • While scoring goals left and right, the Dutch have also conceded a goal in every game, four in all.
    Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2026
  • Baltimore will be getting its first female sheriff after incumbent Sam Cogen conceded to Sabrina Tapp-Harper in Maryland's primary election.
    JT Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 25 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Surrender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surrender. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

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