relinquish

verb

re·​lin·​quish ri-ˈliŋ-kwish How to pronounce relinquish (audio)
-ˈlin-
relinquished; relinquishing; relinquishes

transitive verb

1
: to withdraw or retreat from : leave behind
2
: give up
relinquish a title
3
a
: to stop holding physically : release
slowly relinquished his grip on the bar
b
: to give over possession or control of : yield
few leaders willingly relinquish power
relinquishment noun
Choose the Right Synonym for relinquish

relinquish, yield, resign, surrender, abandon, waive mean to give up completely.

relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness.

relinquished her crown

yield implies concession or compliance or submission to force.

the troops yielded ground grudgingly

resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle.

resigned her position

surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist.

surrendered their claims

abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up.

abandoned all hope

waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion.

waived the right to a trial by jury

Examples of relinquish in a Sentence

They had turned to an open adoption after pursuing infertility treatments for 18 years, and the birth mother had agreed to relinquish custody at the hospital. Emily Nussbaum, Discover, January 2000
In April of that year Albert Slyusar, one of the legendary figures of the Afghanistan war, had relinquished command of 103 Guards Airborne Division. Carey Schofield, The Russian Elite, 1993
The feedback seems to operate on the premise that people who relinquish the civilized art of maintaining creative cities are not to be entrusted with the risks of developing further. Jane Jacobs, Cities and the Wealth of Nations, (1984) 1985
The Major no sooner heard the voice, than he relinquished Mr Dombey's arm, darted forward, took the hand of the lady in the chair and pressed it to his lips. Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son, 1848
I will not relinquish my rights. She was forced to relinquish control of the project. The court ordered him to relinquish custody of his child.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Washington relinquished control of the waterway to Panama on December 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter. Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025 Fifty-seven children have been relinquished under under safe haven laws in Connecticut since 2001, according to public testimony to the Committee on Children. Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2025 China has never relinquished its claim over Taiwan — which has been self-governing since the Chinese nationalist party, or Kuomintang, fled to the island following its defeat to the Communists in the Chinese civil war in 1949. Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025 Iran will likely have to halt further uranium enrichment, relinquish its current stock to be held in escrow outside the country, and place its nuclear facilities under the control—or at least observation—of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for relinquish

Word History

Etymology

Middle English relinquisshen, from Anglo-French relinquiss-, stem of relinquir, from Latin relinquere to leave behind, from re- + linquere to leave — more at loan

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of relinquish was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Relinquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relinquish. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

relinquish

verb
re·​lin·​quish ri-ˈliŋ-kwish How to pronounce relinquish (audio)
1
: to withdraw or retreat from : leave behind
relinquished their homes and sailed to the New World
2
: to give over to the control or possession of another
relinquish a title
3
: to let go of : release
relinquish your grip on the bar
few leaders willingly relinquish power
relinquishment noun

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