resign

1 of 2

verb (1)

re·​sign ri-ˈzīn How to pronounce resign (audio)
resigned; resigning; resigns

transitive verb

1
: relegate, consign
especially : to give (oneself) over without resistance
resigned herself to her fate
2
: to give up deliberately
especially : to renounce (something, such as a right or position) by a formal act

intransitive verb

1
: to give up one's office or position : quit
2
: to accept something as inevitable : submit
resignedness noun
resigner noun

re-sign

2 of 2

verb (2)

re-signed; re-signing; re-signs

transitive verb

: to sign again
especially : to rehire (someone, such as an athlete) by means of a signed contract

intransitive verb

: to sign up again
Choose the Right Synonym for resign

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

abdicate, renounce, resign mean to give up a position with no possibility of resuming it.

abdicate implies a giving up of sovereign power or sometimes an evading of responsibility such as that of a parent.

abdicated the throne

renounce may replace it but often implies additionally a sacrifice for a greater end.

renounced her inheritance by marrying a commoner

resign applies to the giving up of an unexpired office or trust.

resigned from the board

Examples of resign in a Sentence

Verb (1) The senator was forced to resign his position. The newspaper's editor resigned after the scandal. He resigned from his job as principal of the school.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Caught in the vortex of egos is Cardinal Lawrence (played by a sharp Ralph Fiennes), an Englishman who’d tried to resign recently from his post over his growing doubt about his beliefs, but who was charged by the late pope to lead the conclave anyway. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2024 Perhaps this is not the job for a billionaire, concedes Bezos (though without any apparent desire to resign). Chloe Berger, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
This decision follows the recent logic of the Bulls, who also chose not to extend guard Coby White and Patrick Williams before successfully re-signing both players as restricted free agents. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2024 The Celtics have spent big this year to ensure the nucleus of the roster stayed together for another title tilt, re-signing Jason Tatum, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday to contract extensions, while also extending role players Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet. Matias Grez, CNN, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for resign 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'resign.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French resigner, from Latin resignare, literally, to unseal, cancel, from re- + signare to sign, seal — more at sign

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

1805, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of resign was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near resign

Cite this Entry

“Resign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resign. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

resign

verb
re·​sign ri-ˈzīn How to pronounce resign (audio)
1
: to give up by a formal or official act
resign an office
2
: to give up an office or position : quit
3
: to yield to without resistance
resign oneself to disappointment

More from Merriam-Webster on resign

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