resignation

American  

[rez-ig-nay-shuhn] / ˌrɛz ɪgˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

• resignations
  plural

1. 

   the act of resigning.

   Synonyms:

   abdication

2. a formal statement, document, etc., stating that one gives up an office, position, etc.

   Synonyms:

   abdication

3. an accepting, unresisting attitude, state, etc.; submission; acquiescence.

   to meet one's fate with resignation.

   Synonyms:

   forbearance, compliance, patience

   Antonyms:

   recalcitrance

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resignation British  

/ ˌrɛzɪɡˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of resigning

2. a formal document stating one's intention to resign

3. a submissive unresisting attitude; passive acquiescence

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Usage

What does resignation mean? Resignation is the act of resigning—quitting one’s job or giving up one’s position. In this context, it can also refer to the formal statement or document that announces a person’s intention to resign. This sense of the word is often used with the verb tender, meaning to formally offer or present, as in I’ve tendered my resignation, effective immediately. It can also be used as a modifier, as in resignation letter. Resignation can also mean an accepting, unresisting attitude or state of submission, as in There is a sense of resignation in the room now that most of the votes are in and there doesn’t appear to be any path to victory. Example: Several senior officials have tendered their resignations, but it’s unclear whether they will be accepted.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonresignation
  noun
• proresignation
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• resignations
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of resignation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin resignātiōn-, stem of resignātiō “cancellation, rescinding,” from Latin resignāt(us) “canceled” (past participle of resignāre “to open, release, cancel”; see resign) + -iō -ion

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Explanation

Resignation can mean either stepping down from a job or accepting an unpleasant but inevitable situation. You could even feel resignation as you announce your resignation. Once you've announced or handed in your formal resignation to a job, organization, or political office, you're finished. You've formally quit or stepped down. If you've left the position due to budget cuts, you'll probably leave with a feeling of resignation — acknowledging that there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

resignation resignations

Real Madrid have called for the "immediate resignation" of La Liga president Javier Tebas after he drew comparisons between the club's management and Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Bass, for instance, oversaw the reappointment of McDonnell’s predecessor, Michel Moore, shortly after her election and stood by him for a year before Moore’s abrupt resignation in early 2024.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Protesters and riot police clashed in Tirana as thousands of demonstrators rallied for better university conditions and demanded Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

The CJP led weeks of action that culminated in the resignation of federal Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Anatole told me these stories at night with a flat resignation, but I cursed and threw pillows and cried while he held me in the vast comfort of our married-student double bed.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

The disclosure prompted arrests of some officials in Europe, corporate resignations and congressional hearings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

They spoke as debate over AI's risks has intensified following a string of resignations by employees at major AI labs citing safety concerns.

From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026

There have been a string of high-profile resignations from both Anthropic and OpenAI in recent years over apparent safety concerns, and some current Anthropic employees even echoed Coxon's post.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

It prompted further resignations and another reported wave of roughly 75,000 digital cancellations in two days.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026

Many women tendered their resignations during their pregnancies and reapplied to the laboratory when they were ready to work again, hoping they would find a way to wrangle back their old jobs.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

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Related Words

• departure
• retirement
• surrender
• termination
• withdrawal

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