1
as in relinquishing
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in succumbing
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control)
the father refused to surrender to his son's constant begging for a BB gun
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3
as in resigning
to give up (as a position of authority) formally
the aging queen refused to surrender the throne to her increasingly impatient heir
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4
as in submitting
to give up and cease resistance (as to a liking, temptation, or habit)
determined to give up smoking, she so far has not surrendered to her incessant desire to have a cigarette
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5
as in falling
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 indulging
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
as in yielding
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Dissimilar Words
as in relinquishment
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of surrendering
Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2025
Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
But while station owners no doubt had some worries about surrendering audience to streaming, Goldman says DWTS’s gains are proof that the two ecosystems can complement each other.
—Josef Adalian, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Seems to be going great, Dallas surrendering nearly 168 rushing yards per game over the past five weeks.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Oct. 2025
Deputies, soon joined by the county’s Psychiatric Emergency Response Team — a unit that pairs law enforcement with mental-health clinicians — sought to coax the man into surrendering peacefully, talking to him through the car and on his cell phone, Jonsen said.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 28 Oct. 2025
Western industrialism arrived in the 19th century under the Meiji Restoration, but even then, Japan found a way to absorb foreign ideas without surrendering its identity — to modernize without Westernizing.
—Big Think, 22 Oct. 2025
The Steelers' defense was absolutely shredded by 40-year-old quarterback Joe Flacco and the Cincinnati Bengals' offense on Thursday night, surrendering 470 total yards in the 33-31 loss.
—Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Oct. 2025
Court documents also show that one of the conditions for his release was surrendering to immigration for deportation after his imprisonment.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
After the firing stopped, some surrendering inmates were beaten by police.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
The Mule lands on the planet, and Indbur the weasel immediately kneels before the pirate, completely surrendering.
—Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
May Lau has done untold damage to children, both physically and psychologically, and the surrendering of her Texas medical license is a major victory for our state.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
Andrew might not move to Sandringham until after the Christmas holidays, another source said, because giving notice, surrendering the lease and orchestrating the move is expected to take some time.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
But while station owners no doubt had some worries about surrendering audience to streaming, Goldman says DWTS’s gains are proof that the two ecosystems can complement each other.
—Josef Adalian, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Seems to be going great, Dallas surrendering nearly 168 rushing yards per game over the past five weeks.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Oct. 2025
Deputies, soon joined by the county’s Psychiatric Emergency Response Team — a unit that pairs law enforcement with mental-health clinicians — sought to coax the man into surrendering peacefully, talking to him through the car and on his cell phone, Jonsen said.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 28 Oct. 2025
Western industrialism arrived in the 19th century under the Meiji Restoration, but even then, Japan found a way to absorb foreign ideas without surrendering its identity — to modernize without Westernizing.
—Big Think, 22 Oct. 2025
The Steelers' defense was absolutely shredded by 40-year-old quarterback Joe Flacco and the Cincinnati Bengals' offense on Thursday night, surrendering 470 total yards in the 33-31 loss.
—Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Oct. 2025
Court documents also show that one of the conditions for his release was surrendering to immigration for deportation after his imprisonment.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
After the firing stopped, some surrendering inmates were beaten by police.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surrendering
Verb
-
The United States Military Academy graduate won just months after the previous winner, Noelia Voigt, shocked the world by relinquishing her crown, a bombshell action that was also taken by her younger counterpart, Miss Teen USA 2023.—
Alma Cooper,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
-
In Madagascar, Rajoelina has shown no signs of relinquishing power following his removal.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Beyond her torrid relationship with Taissa Turner, Van felt like a voice of reason in a sea of noise — steadfast in her effort to reform after her time in The Wilderness rather than succumbing to its violent will.—
Catherine Mhloyi,
Them.,
29 Oct. 2025
-
One of the biggest threats to Aledo’s national-record, 132-game district winning streak came a year ago when North Richland Hills Richland took the Bearcats to overtime before succumbing.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Four years to the day after resigning as head coach of the Florida Panthers, Joel Quenneville is back behind the bench in Sunrise on Tuesday, this time as an opponent as the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Advertisement Rutte led four Dutch governments as Prime Minister and leader of VVD between 2010 and 2024, before resigning in 2023 over a previous row over asylum seekers.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Tomer-Yerushalmi is also suspected of allegedly misleading the High Court of Justice, and senior military and justice officials, about the leak of the footage and even submitting a false affidavit to the court.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Miami’s top Catholic leader Archbishop Thomas Wenski, who turned 75 this month, will be submitting a retirement letter to the Vatican.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But Septime Webre’s choreography is supposed to have the air of wild and sometimes frenzied social dancing, of Charlestons and Fox Trots and Black Bottoms, of indulging the glorious excesses of the 1920s before the greedier side of the American Dream comes crashing down a few years later.—
David Lyman,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The other people Ye tries to big-foot into indulging his perverse Peter Pan complex fare more poorly.—
Derek Robertson,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
To taste one hot off the press, so to speak, is an experience not to be missed; the flavor is so complex, the mouthful so round, the texture so yielding.—
Aleksandra Crapanzano,
The Atlantic,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Gold also gains appeal when interest rates fall, as lower yields reduce the opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The relinquishment of such a title within the British royal family is incredibly rare.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
-
The top reasons for relinquishment of companion animals identified in the study were behavioral issues (28 percent), housing or moving challenges (18 percent), and inability to care for the animal (16 percent).—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Quietly, evil collapsed, while Maloyan’s virtue stood firm against brutal force, rendering that force powerless.—
Jenni Fink,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Other federal programs like the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement are also in limbo, rendering food banks unable to order supplies from the federal government.—
Heather Bushman,
IndyStar,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surrendering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surrendering. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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