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
-
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:
Following his resignation, the former governor established a private consulting firm and later entered into a podcast deal.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
In the call with staff where he announced his resignation as CEO, Jones told them he hadn’t received information he needed to plan the budget.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
But even as Nixon’s overall approval rating sank to 24% during the week before his resignation on Aug. 9, 1974, Republicans — 62% of them — still supported him.
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
"It's hard to overstate how dangerous speeding towards RSI is," Wang posted in response to Coxon's resignation, referring to recursive self-improvement, which is a technique where software is designed to continuously teach itself.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
“Do as you will,” he said, half doom and half resignation.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
In recent days, the heads of leading AI developers have called for new limits and controls on advanced AI research, following a series of cybersecurity breaches and high-profile resignations designed to raise alarm bells.
From The Wall Street Journal ● 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
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
We unanimously decided to tender our resignations on the grounds that we supported the boycott and did not enjoy the support of the majority of the students.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
