1
as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
she reluctantly ceded her position as leader
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2
as in to assign
to give over the legal possession or ownership of
Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States as part of the settlement of the Spanish-American War
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3
as in to abdicate
to give up (as a position of authority) formally
the President officially cedes his position on the January 20th immediately following the presidential election
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cede
But over time and through crises such as the Great Depression and Great Recession, the Fed was gradually ceded more oversight over the nation’s banks.
—
Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
News aficionados have given up subscriptions to mainstream publications like The Washington Post in recent months when they are perceived to cede authority or placate those in power.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
In splurging on Harbaugh, Dean and John Spanos surely also ceded him more power.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
The goal would be to build a common technology ecosystem, linked to other allies, to ensure the United States and fellow democracies do not cede the innovation edge to competitors such as China.
—Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cede
Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
News aficionados have given up subscriptions to mainstream publications like The Washington Post in recent months when they are perceived to cede authority or placate those in power.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
In splurging on Harbaugh, Dean and John Spanos surely also ceded him more power.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
The goal would be to build a common technology ecosystem, linked to other allies, to ensure the United States and fellow democracies do not cede the innovation edge to competitors such as China.
—Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cede
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cede
Verb
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Keeping the agreement with Norris in mind, McLaren intervened in the situation by asking Piastri to relinquish second place to Norris.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
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In May 2025, Kraft Heinz announced a strategic review aimed at unlocking shareholder value, and Berkshire Hathaway relinquished its board seats, signaling potential structural changes.—
Joe Cornell,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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His initial mentality is to be efficient while getting the necessary outs that are assigned.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
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As Oracle matures from a high-growth story to a large-cap dividend play, the market might assign lower multiples than our 40x assumption, particularly if interest rates remain elevated.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The federal government has functionally abdicated its role in keeping Americans safe from dangerous illness.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
5 Sep. 2025
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This isn't about abdicating responsibility.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Authorities have not yet revealed the full details of how Robinson was detained, but multiple reports suggested that his father urged him to surrender after recognizing his son in the grainy surveillance footage released by police.—
Richard Hall,
Time,
14 Sep. 2025
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Once Bailey reached home, the official completion of a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning, Bailey surrendered himself to the moment.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Many successful professionals combine multiple approaches—starting with community college, transferring to four-year schools, adding certifications, or launching businesses alongside traditional employment.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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That dream never manifested, and eventually, the republican government’s international legitimacy was transferred to the surging mainland.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Elizondo resigned and went public in October 2017 after 10 years of running a Pentagon program to investigate UFO sightings.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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Along with Monarez, the committee will hear from Debra Houry, the former chief medical officer for the CDC, who resigned—alongside two other high-ranking CDC leaders—upon Monarez's ouster.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This deepening also has an index in the formal features of his poetry—the ambiguity of his pronouns, the firm particularity of his register of images—which teeters between the mundane and the epiphanic, and renders this imbalance itself into view.—
Elaine L. Wang
September 11,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
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When workers are used as invisible inputs in opaque AI systems that determine hiring, promotions and surveillance protocols, their autonomy can be eroded—and traditional labor rights rendered toothless.—
James Felton Keith,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Paxton’s interest in Paul’s plight was bizarre, obsessive and so far beyond normal operations at the attorney general’s office that the agency’s top officials struggled to convey their concerns during the hourslong meeting with two FBI agents.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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That’s because today’s closed captioning system for deaf-accessible subtitling, which dates back to 1971 and has barely changed since this time, doesn’t convey any of these key elements.—
Gus Alexiou,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cede.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cede. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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