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

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2
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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

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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

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

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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
Reichel offered to surrender Hernandez Santana’s passport and have his client placed on house arrest and under GPS monitoring. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 26 Sep. 2025 In the 1980s, the California Coastal Commission routinely demanded that homeowners surrender some of their property in exchange for development permits. James Burling, Oc Register, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
Shortly after Japan’s surrender, US and Soviet officials agreed to establish two military occupation zones, one in the South run by the Americans and the other in the North directed by the Russians. Kornel Chang september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025 Brooksby, who was involved in the surrender but not the broader investigation, addressed lingering questions about what motivated 22-year-old Tyler Robinson to turn himself in last week, during a press conference with reporters. Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for surrender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surrender
Verb
  • This act was the NCAA requirement the players relinquished control over their publicity rights as a condition of eligibility.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Rahm holed the shot with precious little green to work with to take a lead in the match that the Spaniard and his cherished partner, Tyrrell Hatton, never relinquished.
    Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Bin Laden outlasted Bellevue, too, before succumbing.
    Ben McGrath, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
  • There have been moments where Marr and Morrissey nearly succumbed to the pressure.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Rosselló would resign his post that same year, but the friendship between the two musicians has endured.
    Leila Cobo, Billboard, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Deb Hall Lefevre, the CTO at Starbucks since 2022, has reportedly resigned according to Reuters, which has seen an internal memo sent to corporate staff on Monday.
    John Kell, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Both sides will submit fuller legal arguments and the Department of Homeland Security may be ordered to produce its internal decision record.
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Residents of Los Angeles County must submit an application to the LACSD.
    Max Rego, The Hill, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • To tell the jokes that make others groan, but to do it wholeheartedly and keep the faith that there are people out there — their people — who will not only indulge, but truly adore, their senses of humor.
    Audrey Goldberg Ruoff, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
  • And what better excuse to get dressed up than to indulge and imbibe in a new dining experience?
    Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • That's because the NIH operates a system in which each grant submission gets a priority score after evaluation and discussion.
    John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Tribeca Podcasts — now in its sixth year — continues to welcome audio storytellers from around the globe, but will now include audiovisual podcast submissions and a new out-of-competition category.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In early January 2025, the Bureau of Land Management website explained the communities are in an area that climate change is rendering uninhabitable, mentioning climate eight times.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Miu Miu leaned into tradition, rendering argyle in a restrained palette that nodded to its country club roots.
    Minty Mellon, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Privately, political operatives from both sides concede that government shutdowns are bad for both parties.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
  • However, de Apziazu conceded streamers’ ambition and budgets are still leading to market-leading productions, even if fewer of them are made.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Surrender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surrender. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

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