surrender

1 of 2

verb

sur·​ren·​der sə-ˈren-dər How to pronounce surrender (audio)
surrendered; surrendering sə-ˈren-d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce surrender (audio)

transitive verb

1
a
: to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand
surrendered the fort
b
: to give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favor of another
2
a
: to give (oneself) up into the power of another especially as a prisoner
b
: to give (oneself) over to something (such as an influence)

intransitive verb

: to give oneself up into the power of another : yield

surrender

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: the action of yielding one's person or giving up the possession of something especially into the power of another
b
: the relinquishment by a patentee of rights or claims under a patent
c
: the delivery of a principal into lawful custody by bail

called also surrender by bail

d
: the voluntary cancellation of the legal liability of an insurance company by the insured and beneficiary for a consideration
e
: the delivery of a fugitive from justice by one government to another
2
: an instance of surrendering
Choose the Right Synonym for surrender

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 surrender in a Sentence

Verb The enemy finally surrendered after three days of fighting. The gunman surrendered and was taken into custody. The troops were forced to surrender the fort. They were required to surrender their passports. the surrendering of land to the government He refused to surrender to despair. He refused to surrender himself to despair. Noun Their surrender was formalized in a treaty. They demanded an unconditional surrender.
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.
Verb
Voters who attempt to do this will be offered the option of surrendering their ballot and voting in person instead. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024 Either drop it off at your county's Election Office before polls close or surrender it at your polling place and vote in person. Linh Ta, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
According to Safe Haven Baby Boxes, the organization is the only one in the U.S. that provides an anonymous surrender option to parents of newborns. Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024 The militants carried out bombings, ransom kidnappings and beheadings during their heyday starting in the late 1990s, but they have been weakened considerably by battle defeats, surrenders and infighting. Jim Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for surrender 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English surrendren, from surrendre, noun

Noun

Middle English surrendre, from Anglo-French, from surrendre, susrendre to relinquish, from sur- & sus-, suz under + rendre to give back — more at render, sous-chef

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Dictionary Entries Near surrender

Cite this Entry

“Surrender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surrender. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

surrender

1 of 2 verb
sur·​ren·​der sə-ˈren-dər How to pronounce surrender (audio)
surrendered; surrendering -d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce surrender (audio)
1
: to give over to the power, control, or possession of another especially by force
2
: to give oneself over to something

surrender

2 of 2 noun
: the giving of oneself or something into the power of another person or thing

Legal Definition

surrender

1 of 2 transitive verb
sur·​ren·​der
1
a
: to yield to the control or possession of another
surrender the leased premises
surrender collateral to a creditor
b
: to give up completely or agree to forgo
c
: to cancel (one's insurance policy) voluntarily
2
: to give over to the custody of the law
surrender a defendant

intransitive verb

: to give oneself up

surrender

2 of 2 noun
: an act or instance of surrendering
discharge an obligor by surrender of a promissory note
especially : the yielding of an estate by a tenant to the landlord so that the leasehold interest is extinguished by mutual agreement

More from Merriam-Webster on surrender

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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