1
as in relinquishes
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
she reluctantly ceded her position as leader
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2
as in assigns
to give over the legal possession or ownership of
Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States as part of the settlement of the Spanish-American War
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3
as in abdicates
to give up (as a position of authority) formally
the President officially cedes his position on the January 20th immediately following the presidential election
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Recent Examples of cedes
Zelensky doesn’t have the domestic backing necessary for a deal that cedes territory.
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Ian Bremmer, Time, 28 Dec. 2025
The other major stumbling block is the future of Ukraine’s Donbas region, which Russia is demanding Kyiv cedes control of as a condition of the deal.
—Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 16 Dec. 2025
Locals refer to East River and West River, and the wetness and moisture of the Great Lakes and Mississippi basin—its thick canopy of trees, its suppleness—cedes to an aridity and expansiveness that bears its own harsh beauty.
—Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025
But at this year's Japan Mobility Show, the Delica cedes the stage to an even cooler Mitsubishi camping rig, a futuristic concept combo that expands into a multi-room base camp.
—New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025
The dramatic imagery memorializes the successful sendoff for Starship V2, which now cedes the spotlight to its even bigger successors.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Hamas asserts control Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that the war cannot end until Hamas surrenders its weapons and cedes control of Gaza, a demand the fighters have rejected.
—Maayan Lubell, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
The woody-spicy citrus scent for men uses luminous top notes of fresh ginger, bergamot and citrus (lemon petitgrain) to create a powerful sensation of freshness that quickly cedes to deeper, spicy, mineral heart notes, notably that of Timut pepper.
—Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cedes
Verb
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As Buffett relinquishes the helm, investors are increasingly focused on what disappears with him.—
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The first rule of power politics is that nobody relinquishes authority willingly.—
Verb
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Decathlon specially manufactures shoes for him that are identical except for one key trait—heel-toe drop, say—and then Malisoux randomly assigns them to runners and monitors their injury rates.—
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Once a petition is filed, a clerk receives it, assigns a case number, and sends it to a judge or court.—
Verb
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When the federal government abdicates its responsibility for public health, states, localities, and communities of experts can still try to fill the void.—
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When in a turn of events, Theo abdicates from his position as Duke of Tintagel, and would therefore be divorcing Nan to be with Lizzie, Nan runs away to protect her baby, who would be the heir of Tintagel.—
Verb
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At crucial moments, however, one force surrenders to the other to produce an ambiguous collaboration.—
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Dallas has given up the most passing yards in the league, and their secondary surrenders lots of open windows.—
Verb
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In a short almond shape, this set conveys quiet confidence and sophistication.—
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Even just sitting quietly at his side, the Irish actress conveys the healing power of human connection in several quietly profound scenes that course-correct his attitudes on life.—
Verb
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In the season 4 finale, Moriarty's Ben resigns after a case involving the Russian mob results in the murder of a witness.—
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Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Majority Leader Tyler August vowed to initiate such proceedings unless Dugan resigns.—
Verb
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The device features an 8-inch curved OLED display that renders a holographic 3D companion designed to simulate emotional intimacy.—
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The show cars are life-size, real chassis that have been built to mirror the FIA/F1 renders, which teams can purchase to place in their factories, for hospitality events or use at the forthcoming launch events.—
Verb
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In these systems, a dye molecule absorbs light and transfers the energy to a catalyst surface.—
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According to the Israeli security agencies, the network receives, stores, and transfers Iranian funds from within Turkey.—
Cite this Entry
“Cedes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cedes. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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