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
Eight years ago, from the same spot, Brooks Koepka elected to chip across the green into a front bunker, essentially ceding a bogey instead of risking a double, triple or worse.
—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
In April, Betty Lindberg ceded that completing the Peachtree at 101 years old this July was probably not going to happen, the AJC’s Ken Sugiura writes.
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Nicole Bennett,
AJC.com,
19 June 2026
Lula also pushed back against Washington’s concerns over China’s expanding economic footprint in Latin America, arguing that the United States has ceded ground through inaction.
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Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
Still, some council members remained hesitant Tuesday to cede its bottom-line lawmaking authority, even after the eight-member body had voted 5-3 earlier this month to advance Lee’s proposal.
—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for cede
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
In April, Betty Lindberg ceded that completing the Peachtree at 101 years old this July was probably not going to happen, the AJC’s Ken Sugiura writes.
—
Nicole Bennett,
AJC.com,
19 June 2026
Lula also pushed back against Washington’s concerns over China’s expanding economic footprint in Latin America, arguing that the United States has ceded ground through inaction.
—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
Still, some council members remained hesitant Tuesday to cede its bottom-line lawmaking authority, even after the eight-member body had voted 5-3 earlier this month to advance Lee’s proposal.
—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for cede
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cede
Verb
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Willow Nightingale relinquished the championship in May due to a shoulder injury that also forced her out of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, leading AEW to create this match to crown a new champion.
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But for Iran, reopening the strait does not mean relinquishing control of it.
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The Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Norfolk District Attorney's and Wellesley Police are investigating the incident.
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More than 20 units were assigned to the scene, according to Metro Fire’s active incident report.
Verb
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Aemond is not going to back down, and Aegon has already ditched his plan to abdicate.
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Edward shared the news of his engagement and plan to abdicate during a BBC radio broadcast in December 1936.
Verb
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In a friendly in Tokyo last October, Brazil surrendered a two-goal halftime lead and watched Japan pull ahead for an eventual 3-2 victory.
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More than 700 dogs remain unaccounted for Investigators have reviewed records showing that 918 dogs had been surrendered and transferred to Miranda’s Rescue from January 2025 to April 2026, Honsal said.
Verb
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The sprawling northern territories clear to the Rocky Mountains and beyond transferred to Mexican control.
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Hayden Schuler has transferred from Sierra Canyon.
Verb
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Greg Chavarria resigned in 2024, then Susan Grant served almost a year as acting city manager.
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Scotland Coach Steve Clarke Resigns Steve Clarke has resigned as head coach after leading Scotland to its first men’s World Cup in 28 years.
Verb
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About 11,000 light-years away from Earth, the supernova Cassiopeia A’s X-rays (seen above) are rendered in blue and purple, while infrared wavelengths are shown in red and white using data from JWST.
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Still, Twain squandered his own fortune and Livy’s inheritance on developing Paige’s invention, even as the Mergenthaler Linotype became the industry standard, rendering Paige’s machine worthless.
Verb
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This unvarnished, no-nonsense authenticity helps explain Aguirre’s relatability with players and his ability to convey his instructions.
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Impressive statistics that, in no way, fully conveyed how thoroughly the second-year guard out of Florida dominated the Lakers on Friday.
Cite this Entry
“Cede.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cede. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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