cede
Americanverb (used with object)
-
cedes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
ceded,
past participle, past
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ceding
present participle
verb
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to transfer, make over, or surrender (something, esp territory or legal rights)
the lands were ceded by treaty
-
(tr) to allow or concede (a point in an argument, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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cedesimple
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cedessimple
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have cededperfect
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has cededperfect
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am cedingprogressive
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are cedingprogressive
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is cedingprogressive
-
have been cedingperfect progressive
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has been cedingperfect progressive
Past
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cededsimple
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had cededperfect
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was cedingprogressive
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were cedingprogressive
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had been cedingperfect progressive
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.
See Examples For:
“That doesn’t mean for a second that we don’t believe in the category, that we have any plans to cede distribution, or that we’re going to stop innovating. I would say just the opposite.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
Metro might cede “the massive responsibility of delivering a spectator and workforce transit system” to LA28.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
In return, they cede territorial access to the US military.
From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026
REYKJAVÍK, Iceland—For years, Icelanders looked with suspicion at the European Union, loath to cede sovereignty to Brussels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Hollander’s essay and the comments of Lethem and Plagens cede ground and seem to grant that art and literature are too soft to withstand scientific examination.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
To get the upfront tax deduction, the donor cedes legal control of the donated funds to the DAF sponsor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
As OpenAI matures, anticipate it will inevitably build an in-house advertising software platform to capture the spend it currently cedes to third parties.
From Barron's ● Mar. 6, 2026
How companies respond will determine whether the US continues to lead in innovation and talent - or cedes ground to more welcoming economies.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2025
Fleet and amusing, alive to childhood’s exploratory nature, it also regrettably cedes dramatic ground at a curious point.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 14, 2025
Kauakahialii, the high chief of Kauai, now about to die, cedes the succession to his favorite chief, Kekalukaluokewa, and bids him seek out the beauty of Paliuli for a bride.
From The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai by Martha Warren Beckwith
Yet, Spain’s security forces have effectively ceded control of its waters, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
Yet Ford has been increasingly interested in sedans, a vehicle category that Detroit automakers have ceded to foreign competitors such as Toyota and Honda.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
London and Madrid have disputed control of Gibraltar since the tiny territory was ceded to Britain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
Every one of the 13 penalties England conceded sapped their momentum, ceded territory and ratcheted up pressure.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Worn down by Mingo’s lobbying, Valentine had ceded organization of the debate.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
On Thursday, the French government made its first sign of ceding ground to protesters, with a promise of 3,000 extra supply teachers in the coming days.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
That war of wills ended with the Emirates ceding control of Bab el-Mandeb — along with the nearby island of Perim, where the Emirates had built a drone airbase — to Saudi Arabia.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
While chip stocks were bouncing on Tuesday and software stocks were ceding some ground, neither move unwinds the extent of Monday’s performance.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
Pregnancy and birth involve a level of ceding control for anyone who experiences them.
From Slate ● Aug. 29, 2026
He was just moving toward them when three sections of the ceding suddenly collapsed, breaking apart in a crunch of plaster and metal.
From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
