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
Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
After surrendering the base hit to lead off his third inning of work, Ohtani worked out of the stretch, even incorporating a slide step and working on holding runners.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 11 June 2025
James Powel, USA Today, 9 May 2025
His father, Billy Sr., was an intrepid cinematographer who filmed the surrender of the German fleet at Scapa Flow in Scotland in 1919, then worked on documentaries.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for surrender
Verb
Screenshots from a June 10 Instagram video of a 12-year-old Labrador mix waiting for a new home after his previous owners surrendered him to the London shelter.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
After surrendering the base hit to lead off his third inning of work, Ohtani worked out of the stretch, even incorporating a slide step and working on holding runners.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 11 June 2025
Noun
However, the Soviet Union recognizes its Victory Day on May 9 after having a second set of surrender documents signed by German Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel on May 8, 1945.
—James Powel, USA Today, 9 May 2025
His father, Billy Sr., was an intrepid cinematographer who filmed the surrender of the German fleet at Scapa Flow in Scotland in 1919, then worked on documentaries.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for surrender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surrender
Verb
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In addition there are concerns about relinquishing control of monetary policy as countries in the euro zone are subject to decisions by the ECB, Tursa added.—
Sophie Kiderlin,
CNBC,
10 June 2025
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The nonprofit Consumer Watchdog argued that the bill would relinquish state control of California’s famously ambitious clean energy policies.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
6 June 2025
Verb
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The explosion in the Lebanese capital, which killed more than 200 people and injured thousands, caused devastation to the building and its owners, with the matriarch of the family, 98-year-old Yvonne Sursock Cochrane, eventually succumbing to her injuries.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
12 June 2025
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So far this year, one person — a 13-year-old boy — has died from subway surfing, succumbing to his injuries days after falling off the top of a No. 7 train in Queens.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2025
Verb
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For example, the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and almost a dozen other lawyers were either forced to resign or chose to leave their posts over the DOJ's handling of the Eric Adams corruption case.—
Sophie Clark
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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But many of his jobs ended with him being fired or forced to resign, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Applications will be reviewed in the order they are submitted.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2025
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This year’s winners were selected from over 11,750 films submitted by more than 7,500 filmmakers across 158 countries and territories.—
Leia Mendoza,
Variety,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Strive to indulge once in a while without overdoing it.—
Leigh Morgan,
Quartz,
2 June 2025
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Lot holders know that tchotchkes aren’t allowed but that the grounds crew will indulge them, for a time.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
Noun
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The clips went viral on social media ahead of the Season 7 premiere, and in response, Love Island fans vowed to vote her out once submissions opened through the show’s official app.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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This can look like reassessing submission criteria, ensuring diverse representation on juries and panels, committing to transparent selection processes, and actively seeking out talent from a wide range of backgrounds and identities.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Script is by mega TV producer Taylor Sheridan, who was commissioned by Warner Bros prior to his current overall deal with Paramount, with the latter granting Taylor’s request to render services, within Paramount’s exclusive window.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
13 June 2025
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After the blaring siren was rendered silent in Florida’s 6-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, the horn will be ready and in full force for Game 4 on Thursday at Amerant Bank Arena.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2025
Verb
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Both players were sloppy in the first set, conceding 21 break-point chances and making 48 unforced errors between them, with Sabalenka making 32 yet still winning the set.—
Jerome Pugmire,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2025
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However, after the first, Canady only conceded two hits and accumulated four strikeouts in the next four innings.—
Allison Smith,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surrender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surrender. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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