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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 July 2025
At least 15 dogs were surrendered at L.A. County animal shelters due to deportations between June 10 and July 4, according to the county’s Department of Animal Care and Control.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
His attorneys seek release under strict conditions, including a $1 million bond, passport surrender, and limited travel.
—Amanda Castro
joshua Rhett Miller
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for surrender
Verb
If Orange County commissioners surrender to developers’ bullying before a case is even filed, the commission — and residents — will never know whether the voters’ wishes would have been upheld.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 July 2025
At least 15 dogs were surrendered at L.A. County animal shelters due to deportations between June 10 and July 4, according to the county’s Department of Animal Care and Control.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
Noun
Soviet leader Joseph Stalin had agreed to declare and wage war on Japan three months after the surrender of Nazi Germany.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
His attorneys seek release under strict conditions, including a $1 million bond, passport surrender, and limited travel.
—Amanda Castro
joshua Rhett Miller
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for surrender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surrender
Verb
-
This often dampens enthusiasm, and indeed, the stock relinquished some of its gains in after-hours trading.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
The residence was purchased in the 1970s for just $900,000 by the late radio concert promoter and radio station magnate Ken Roberts, who wound up relinquishing it to the financial services firm New Stream Capital in 2010 to settle a $27.5 million legal claim.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
15 July 2025
Verb
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McKinley succumbed eight days later, and was succeeded by Theodore Roosevelt.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
18 July 2025
-
If someone succumbs to the heat, promptly relocate them to a cool, shaded location.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
16 July 2025
Verb
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DeJoy resigned in March after President Donald Trump took office again and voiced his consideration to privatize USPS, meaning that mail service would no longer be public but rather owned and run by private companies.—
Mackenzie Thomas,
The Washington Examiner,
14 July 2025
-
Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned on July 23, 2024.—
Audrey Conklin,
FOXNews.com,
12 July 2025
Verb
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With that filing, Duke must wait at least 120 days to submit a formal application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
25 July 2025
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You'll also be required to submit a request form to skip a payment.—
Jasmin Suknanan,
CNBC,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
Take just five minutes out of the day to indulge yourself in a self-care exercise.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
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One of the rare recent TV exercises not to indulge conspiracy-theory tropes but deconstruct and criticize them was Netflix’s winter limited series Zero Day, in which the British actor Dan Stevens played a villainous YouTuber peddling such theories.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
19 July 2025
Noun
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Instead of offering a comment, Brigitte is resorting to trying to bully a reporter into submission.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
23 July 2025
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Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings.—
Jim Asker,
Billboard,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Overwatering reduces oxygen in the soil, which damages fine roots and renders the plant unable to take up water.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
18 July 2025
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No one else was hurt, the sheriff said, and the bomb squad has rendered the scene safe.—
Alex Stone,
ABC News,
18 July 2025
Verb
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Family members conceded that the trial was very tolling and difficult on them.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
14 July 2025
-
Spending that much wasn’t necessary, of course, and Varas concedes some of the features could have been downgraded.—
Denise Hruby
Updated July 13,
Miami Herald,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surrender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surrender. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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