relinquish

verb

ri-ˈliŋ-kwish How to pronounce relinquish (audio)
Definition of relinquishnext
1
as in to surrender
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress the boy reluctantly relinquished the illegal fireworks to the police officer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to abdicate
to give up (as a position of authority) formally the retiring CEO relinquished his position to the company's vice president with very mixed feelings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of relinquish are abandon, resign, surrender, waive, and yield. While all these words mean "to give up completely," relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness.

relinquished her crown

Where would abandon be a reasonable alternative to relinquish?

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

abandoned all hope

In what contexts can resign take the place of relinquish?

The synonyms resign and relinquish are sometimes interchangeable, but resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle.

resigned her position

When is surrender a more appropriate choice than relinquish?

In some situations, the words surrender and relinquish are roughly equivalent. However, surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist.

surrendered their claims

When can waive be used instead of relinquish?

The words waive and relinquish can be used in similar contexts, but waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion.

waived the right to a trial by jury

When could yield be used to replace relinquish?

Although the words yield and relinquish have much in common, 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 relinquish If that voter relinquishes his or her Illinois address, that voter's right to vote for federal offices would still be protected under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. —Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 9 May 2025 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 The singer wasn't home at the time, but others there relinquished the monkey. —Alex Heigl, People.com, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for relinquish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relinquish
  1. surrender
  2. abdicate
  3. render
  4. resign
  5. deliver
  6. renounce
  7. cede
Verb
  • Calvin Faucher surrendered six runs without securing a single out and Lake Bachar gave up three more as the Cubs posted eight runs on eight hits in the decisive sixth inning of a 14-1 Marlins’ loss at loanDepot park.
    — Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 21 May 2025
  • After the battle, the South surrendered Fort Gaines, which still stands on Dauphin Island.
    — D. Hunter Reardon, USA Today, 21 May 2025
Definition of surrender
Verb
  • Seen for First Time Since Hospitalization King Frederik assumed the throne in January 2024, following Queen Margrethe's decision to abdicate.
    — Meredith Kile, People.com, 28 May 2025
  • Akihito, who ascended to the throne after his father, Hirohito, died in 1989, became the first Japanese monarch in 200 years to abdicate his post.
    — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 5 May 2025
Definition of abdicate
Verb
  • From Feed Hygiene to Discovery Advantage Unlike traditional search ads that appear alongside blue links, AI search ads will be rendered inside conversational answers themselves.
    — Kiri Masters, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
  • In fact, without the ocean as a natural buffer, climate change would have already rendered our planet uninhabitable.
    — Jenna DiPaolo, Sun Sentinel, 1 June 2025
Definition of render
Verb
  • The demonstration Tuesday evening in front of Seattle City Hall is expected to call on Harrell to retract his statement, apologize, or resign.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 27 May 2025
  • Her firing comes after former Harvard President Claudine Gay resigned from her position in 2024 following accusations of academic plagiarism.
    — Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
Definition of resign
Verb
  • Satellites can now deliver frequent, high-resolution (30 cm) imagery, enhanced with change detection algorithms.
    — Abhishek Singh, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • The steel ladder frame and sliding-pillar front suspension are as primitive as a stone axe, but do the job, and few cars deliver the tactile steering response afforded by the featherweight Plus 8.
    — Robert Ross, Robb Report, 30 May 2025
Definition of deliver
Verb
  • The handsome and charismatic Lord Edward Fitzgerald, an Anglican son of a duke, renounced his title and commanded the society’s militia.
    — Joseph Patrick Kelly, The Conversation, 20 May 2025
  • Saxon is all about getting off, and Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) is renouncing the materialistic.
    — Dory Jackson, People.com, 5 May 2025
Definition of renounce
Verb
  • Forced to retreat back deeper in the field thanks to the arrival of Kylian Mbappe, Bellingham has been nowhere near as effective this term as Madrid was bulldozed by FC Barcelona in four Clasicos and lost the Copa del Rey and Super Cup finals to it while also ceding La Liga to the Catalans.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
  • Russia has demanded Ukraine recognize the regions as Russian in order to halt the conflict, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has refused to cede territory to Russia to bring an end to the war.
    — Isabel van Brugen, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
Definition of cede

Browse Nearby Words

religiousness
relinquish
relinquished
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Cite this Entry

“Relinquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relinquish. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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