resigned

American  

[ri-zahynd] / rɪˈzaɪnd /

adjective

1. submissive or acquiescent.

2. characterized by or indicative of resignation.

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resigned British  

/ rɪˈzaɪnd, rɪˈzaɪnɪdlɪ /

adjective

1. characteristic of or proceeding from an attitude of resignation; acquiescent or submissive

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Usage

What does resigned mean? Resigned is an adjective that means having an accepting, unresisting attitude or in a state of submission. A person who is resigned is often in a state of realization that the negative situation that is happening to them will continue to happen and that they can’t do anything to stop it. The word is especially used in phrases like resigned to one’s fate or resigned to the fact that (something is happening). Resigned is also the past tense of the verb resign. Resign most commonly means to quit a job, but it can also mean to submit or yield. The noun form resignation can mean a state of submission or acquiescence, 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: Even if I ace the test, it won’t bring up my average enough, so I’m resigned to the fact that I’m going to fail the class.

Other Word Forms

• resignedly adverb
• resignedness noun
• self-resigned adjective
• unresigned adjective

Etymology

Origin of resigned

First recorded in 1645–55; resign + -ed ²

Explanation

When you sadly accept something that's disagreeable, you're resigned. You might give a resigned sigh as you wait in the cold for a bus that's late again. Being resigned means you've given up or surrendered to an unpleasant reality and the fact that you can't change it. While some kids cry when the babysitter tells them it's bedtime, others are resigned to brushing their teeth and putting on their pajamas. And though most people who live in cold climates are resigned to the frigid winter weather, there are always a few who escape to tropical beaches instead.

Example Sentences

Ambrose Doone resigned as a designated safeguarding officer at Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle in Belfast in 2024.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

He has made no bones about believing that any prosecutor who worked on those cases had behaved unethically and should have resigned.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026

Shell also resigned as a Paramount board member to focus on his legal battle, the company said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Sounding resigned, she added she no longer expects a change of government, but "if they could grant us more freedoms, we could live with that".

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

His voice was flat, resigned, and I thought, Had my sister toyed with him?

From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English

Related Words

• satisfied