relinquish
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
-
to give up (a task, struggle, etc); abandon
-
to surrender or renounce (a claim, right, etc)
-
to release; let go
Synonym Usage
See abandon.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
nonrelinquishmentnoun
-
relinquishernoun
-
relinquishmentnoun
-
unrelinquishedadjective
-
unrelinquishingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
relinquishsimple
-
relinquishessimple
-
have relinquishedperfect
-
has relinquishedperfect
-
am relinquishingprogressive
-
are relinquishingprogressive
-
is relinquishingprogressive
-
have been relinquishingperfect progressive
-
has been relinquishingperfect progressive
Past
-
relinquishedsimple
-
had relinquishedperfect
-
was relinquishingprogressive
-
were relinquishingprogressive
-
had been relinquishingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of relinquish
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English relinquissen, relinquisshen, from Middle French relinquiss-, long stem of relinquir ≪ Latin relinquere “to leave behind,” equivalent to re- re- + linquere “to leave” (akin to lend )
Explanation
If you relinquish something, you let it go. You relinquish control of the army when you resign as general. You relinquish your plan to sneak into town when your parents find out what's going on. Relinquish is also commonly used to mean physically letting go of something: The monkey wouldn't relinquish its grasp on the banana. Relinquish descends from Latin relinquere, from the prefix re-, "again" plus linquere, "to leave."
Vocabulary lists containing relinquish
The Declaration of Independence
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Giver
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Donahue "will relinquish command on July 2, 2026," Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said in a statement that did not provide a reason for the general's departure after an unusually short 18-month stint in the job.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
Nick Timoney's early converted try gave Ulster the perfect start, but Montpellier soon capitalised on mistakes to take a lead they would not relinquish.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
“It seems inconceivable to me that we would voluntarily relinquish the leadership that has propelled our country, fueled the economy, made us healthier, and made us safer,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026
He would relinquish his chairmanship next month to Kevin Warsh, as well as his separate seat as governor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
And on that day, Bobby Fischer became the first-ever champion to willingly relinquish the title and along with it the chance to compete for the winner’s share of a $5 million purse...five million dollars!
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
On Thursday, Venezuela's parliament adopted reforms that offer greater guarantees to private players, relinquishes state control of exploration, and lowers taxes.
From Barron's ● Jan. 30, 2026
An Italian job looks the most likely alternative if Luke Donald relinquishes the European Ryder Cup leadership with Francesco and Edoardo Molinari providing a compelling captaincy combo.
From BBC ● Jan. 6, 2026
He never relinquishes his dignity, and Mr. Barbor-Might protects it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 25, 2025
So Alice relinquishes caretaking her father out of his grief.
From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2024
He holds me while my shoulders shake and the sun relinquishes its last beam, giving way to blackness.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
He has relinquished his active government and party roles, but during his 2008-2018 presidency, he and former US president Barack Obama presided over a short-lived thaw in Washington-Havana relations.
From BBC ● May 20, 2026
"I have never relinquished my convictions, my freedom of thought, or my independence."
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
ServiceNow relinquished its early gains and slid 1.5% to $101.83.
From Barron's ● May 19, 2026
And if Uthmeier prevails, adoptive parents across Florida could find their legal claim to their children suddenly open to challenge, potentially by the very birth parents who relinquished them, or by the state.
From Slate ● May 13, 2026
The child, relinquished by the nurse, rushed across the room and rooted shyly into her mother's dress.
From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
While Rhaenyra’s story will touch on “the more sinister side of relinquishing doubt,” D’Arcy considers that there is, perhaps, “a more positive side to that too.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
"Objectively speaking, there is hardly any possibility from the US of relinquishing weapons systems of this kind."
From Barron's ● May 3, 2026
Doing so means permanently relinquishing control of those funds.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 17, 2026
Elections followed, but the voluntary relinquishing of power had emboldened the military to make a takeover by force in 1962.
From Barron's ● Dec. 23, 2025
“Ron was great,” said Tonks warmly, relinquishing her hold on Lupin.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
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.
