surrender 1 of 2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4
5
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

surrender

2 of 2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
One of the runs King surrendered came on Aaron Judge’s 12th home run of the season. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025 Beto O’Rourke shreds Chuck Schumer for ‘surrendering’ to Trump, Musk: ‘Get out of the way’ Robby Soave and Lindsey Granger discuss fmr. The Hill, 5 May 2025
Noun
The betrayal began with the quiet surrender of his predecessor, Alberto Fernández, whose government cloaked itself in progressive language, but failed to confront the powers that truly govern Argentina: corporate monopolies, foreign creditors, and judicial mafias. Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025 Free diving here is often a balance of persistence as well as surrender, but the kelp forest doesn’t ask for credentials, only a willingness to dive in. Avery Schuyler Nunn, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for surrender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surrender
Verb
  • In the end, Piastri was forced to relinquish second place too as his teammate Lando Norris swept past him on newer, faster tires once all the cars had bunched up at the end of the race behind the safety car.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 18 May 2025
  • There are any number of reasons why owners may choose to relinquish a pet.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • Over time, the dead spacecraft succumbed to aerodynamic drag, slowly losing altitude before dipping deeper into the atmosphere in recent weeks.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2025
  • Without succumbing to a sappy ending, Reza makes a strong case for valuing relationships over intellectual homogeneity — an outlook that can feel either naïve or hopeful in polarizing times.
    Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
Verb
  • National Science Foundation eliminates hundreds of grants day after director resigns DOGE shuttering Millennium Challenge Corp aid agency, staff told See protesters rally for US veterans impacted by Trump's DOGE cuts What is AmeriCorps?
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 17 May 2025
  • At the May 13 Village Board meeting, the first meeting since Buchanan resigned, current board members who served with Buchanan praised her.
    Bob Skolnik, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • Payments for each device are capped at $20, but claimants may receive less depending on the total number of claims submitted.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Parents can unwind with cocktails poolside or indulge at the spa while little ones immerse themselves in the SoBe Kids Club, designed for ages four to 12.
    Katie Lara, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
  • The Santa Monica pad existed mainly as the ultimate clubhouse, a place where Jimmy and a dozen or so regulars could indulge their obsession with padel.
    David T. Friendly, Air Mail, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • But if your company is handling hundreds of submissions weekly, with underwriters specializing in various areas, the need for such a tool becomes nearly unavoidable.
    Marcin Nowak, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
  • Customers can bet on each fight to end by knockout or submission.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • At the same time, James and her peers helped students connect with experts in larger cities in professional fields; apply for admissions, grants and scholarships; and rendered whatever other assistance was needed.
    Doug Thompson, Arkansas Online, 8 May 2025
  • This one, is rendered in moody, romantic tones of blue.
    José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • Speaking to Variety during the Cannes Film Festival, Leonidas Christopoulos, CEO of Creative Greece, concedes that there have been bureaucratic challenges since the organization’s launch.
    Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 18 May 2025
  • Now, after dispute the accuracy of the video for several months, the defense concedes that the footage is disturbing as an example of domestic violence.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 16 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Surrender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surrender. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on surrender

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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