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
as in to succumb
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 to resign
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 to submit
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 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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of surrender
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026
As with Elliott’s delivery, Silvia seemed to wait until the last minute to pick up most of the newborns from the hospital, and there were several births during which surrogates worried that the infant, lacking a legal guardian, would be surrendered into state custody.
—Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
In September, Beijing’s Tiananmen Square hosted China’s biggest ever military parade to mark 80 years since Japan’s surrender in World War II.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surrender
Verb
Campbell surrendered 14 pressures, the most by any player in a game all season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026
As with Elliott’s delivery, Silvia seemed to wait until the last minute to pick up most of the newborns from the hospital, and there were several births during which surrogates worried that the infant, lacking a legal guardian, would be surrendered into state custody.
—Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
That framing—control versus surrender—runs through Kapur’s entire philosophy.
—Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
In September, Beijing’s Tiananmen Square hosted China’s biggest ever military parade to mark 80 years since Japan’s surrender in World War II.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surrender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surrender
Verb
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His father refused to relinquish his grudge, as Dreher saw it, and his mother always went along with her husband.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
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Notable sellers include Bruce Springsteen, who in 2021 made a deal with Sony Music Entertainment to relinquish his master recordings and songs for $500 million.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Her elder two sisters died at 10 and 11; her sister Anne at 29; her ne’er-do-well brother Branwell at 31; and Charlotte at the ripe age of 38—all succumbing to tuberculosis.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
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Inside, rather than succumbing to the pull of an open floor plan, Rai leaned into the home’s distinct zones and cozy nooks, which are evocative of another era.—
Linne Halpern,
Architectural Digest,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While Streeting was on-message with the rest of the Cabinet in supporting Starmer after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called for the prime minister to resign, the secretary reportedly spoke with Sarwar in the days leading up to the call for Starmer to resign.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Feb. 2026
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Laporta resigned from his role on Monday morning — at least temporarily.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Many more have submitted their accounts in civil rights lawsuits aimed at slowing the operations.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
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They were selected after submitting their White Castle stories.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Set directly on 600 feet of beachfront, the hotel boasts an outdoor beach club, four pools, and an 18,000-square-foot wellness center, which encompasses the Bamford Wellness Spa and Anatomy gym (drop the kids off at Seedlings kids club to fully indulge).—
Devorah Lev-Tov,
Robb Report,
5 Feb. 2026
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And don’t forget that everything is all-inclusive—even lobster—so why not indulge?—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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With their vaunted defense, the Seahawks grabbed the Patriots and squeezed them into submission.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Walker, a fourth-year pro, rushed for a game-high 135 yards as Seattle’s offense did enough to let its defense smother New England into submission.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Officers rendered aid until emergency services arrived, and the boy was taken to UofL Hospital.—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
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Les Archives, located in Paris’ 6th arrondissement, is a secondhand designer store rendered entirely in millennial pink.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His hybrid was designed to preserve the elegance and smooth operation of electric motors while conceding the practical power and range that fuel offered.—
Bill Gourgey,
Popular Science,
5 Feb. 2026
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Going into Wednesday’s games, the Lakers rank 27th in opposing field goal percentage and 24th in defensive rating, an estimate of the amount of points a team concedes across a 100-possession span.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Surrender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surrender. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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