resignation
Americannoun
-
resignations
plural
-
the act of resigning.
- Synonyms:
- abdication
-
a formal statement, document, etc., stating that one gives up an office, position, etc.
- Synonyms:
- abdication
-
an accepting, unresisting attitude, state, etc.; submission; acquiescence.
to meet one's fate with resignation.
- Synonyms:
- forbearance, compliance, patience
- Antonyms:
- recalcitrance
noun
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the act of resigning
-
a formal document stating one's intention to resign
-
a submissive unresisting attitude; passive acquiescence
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
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
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.
Vocabulary lists containing resignation
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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"The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs
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A Raisin in the Sun
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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.
See Examples For:
The protests, which culminated in the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan last month, exposed deep frustration among young Indians over access to jobs and educational opportunities.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Announcing his resignation last week, Arday said the "personal cost" of the scrutiny of him had become "too great".
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Farage's resignation meant the parliamentary investigation into his finances has been paused.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
By-elections are triggered by the resignation, death or conviction of the sitting MP.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
The column announcing her resignation from the DAR triggered a worldwide reaction and demonstrated the powerful impact Mrs. Roosevelt could have when she spoke out on a political or social issue.
From "The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights" by Russell Freedman
There were resignations from political offices, and many famous people suffered a great deal of embarrassment and public shame.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Any exit from Southern California -- the capital of America's movie industry -- would likely spark a wave of resignations from workers unwilling to relocate.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
Sources said the proposed plan calls for increasing academy class sizes before and after the Olympics and Paralympics in order to offset resignations and retirements.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
Burnham is so far the only contender to replace Sir Keir Starmer, who announced his resignation earlier this week following a slew of senior cabinet resignations.
From BBC ● Jun. 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
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.
