resign

[ri-zahyn]

verb (used without object)

1. to give up an office or position, often formally (often followed byfrom ).

   to resign from the presidency.

   Synonyms: withdraw

2. to submit; yield.

   to resign before the inevitable.

verb (used with object)

1. to give up (an office, position, etc.), often formally.

   Synonyms: leave, quit, renounce, abdicate

2. to relinquish (a right, claim, agreement, etc.).

   Synonyms: cede, surrender, give up, forgo

3. to give or sign over, as to the control or care of another.

   She resigned her child to an adoption agency.

4. to submit (oneself, one's mind, etc.) without resistance.

resign

/ rɪˈzaɪn /

verb

1. to give up tenure of (a job, office, etc)

2. (tr) to reconcile (oneself) to; yield

   to resign oneself to death

3. (tr) to give up (a right, claim, etc); relinquish

   he resigned his claim to the throne

Other Word Forms

• resigner noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of resign¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English resignen, from Middle French resigner, from Latin resignāre “to open, release, cancel,” literally, “to seal back,” from re- re- + signāre “to mark, seal” ( sign )

Word History and Origins

Origin of resign¹

C14: from Old French resigner , from Latin resignāre to unseal, invalidate, destroy, from _re- + signāre to seal; see _sign

Example Sentences

The indictment sent shock waves through the U.S. attorney’s office, prompting Comey’s son-in-law, Troy Edwards Jr., to resign from his prosecutor position.

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Despite the greater scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic, incidents of CEOs resigning over workplace relationships are still relatively rare.

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She twice offered to take the company private, only to be rejected by two different boards of directors, one that resigned en masse and a second that put the company into bankruptcy.

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French bond yields jumped this week after France’s prime minister resigned.

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Weiss publicly resigned from her role as an opinion columnist and editor at the New York Times five years ago with a blistering kiss-off.

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When To Use

What does resign mean?

Resign most commonly means to give up one’s job or position.When used this way, resign can be used without an object, as in He resigned yesterday, or with one, as in She is expected to resign her position. In its general sense, resign means to yield or submit, as in When he knew he couldn’t possibly win the match, he decided to resign. Example: They say he resigned on his own, but I think he was forced out.