cede
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
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to transfer, make over, or surrender (something, esp territory or legal rights)
the lands were ceded by treaty
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(tr) to allow or concede (a point in an argument, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has cededperfect 3rd person singular
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have cededperfect
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have been cedingperfect progressive
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has been cedingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are cedingprogressive
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am cedingprogressive 1st person singular
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is cedingprogressive 3rd person singular
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cedessingular 3rd person
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cedingparticiple
Past
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had cededperfect
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were cedingprogressive plural
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had been cedingperfect progressive
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was cedingprogressive singular
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cededparticiple
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cededsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of cede
First recorded in 1625–35, cede is from the Latin word cēdere “to go, yield”
Explanation
To cede is to give up or surrender land, position, or authority. "She reluctantly ceded the coveted position as the baby of the family to her brother when he was born. She would not, however, cede her bedroom to him." Cede is a word often used in discussing diplomatic issues. It is more commonly used in reference to actual physical things, like geographic areas or objects, but can also be used in reference to attitudes or opinions. "The rebels ceded territory after the siege failed." "Dad tried but finally ceded control and let me have my own Facebook account."
Vocabulary lists containing cede
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
No one expected Musk to cede any control of SpaceX.
From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026
In doing so, he struck a delicate balance, as he had to shift production in a way that didn’t alienate Chinese consumers or cede market share to domestic Chinese competitors.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
White walls would cede to green foliage, effectively camouflaging the facade—but also playing into the hands of critics.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
The Chagos Islands are currently owned by the UK, but the British government has agreed to cede sovereignty of them to Mauritius and lease back the base on Diego Garcia.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
I cede control to my lower half, which is actually pointing toward my room, and lead Nia to it.
From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
