surrender

[ suh-ren-der ]

/ səˈrɛn dər /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: surrender / surrendering on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to yield (something) to the possession or power of another; deliver up possession of on demand or under duress: to surrender the fort to the enemy; to surrender the stolen goods to the police.

to give (oneself) up, as to the police.

to give (oneself) up to some influence, course, emotion, etc.: He surrendered himself to a life of hardship.

to give up, abandon, or relinquish (comfort, hope, etc.).

to yield or resign (an office, privilege, etc.) in favor of another.

verb (used without object)

to give oneself up, as into the power of another; submit or yield.

noun

the act or an instance of surrendering.

Insurance. the voluntary abandonment of a life-insurance policy by the owner for any of its nonforfeiture values.

the deed by which a legal surrendering is made.

OTHER WORDS FOR surrender

4 renounce.

5 waive, cede, abandon, forgo.

6 capitulate.

7 capitulation, relinquishment.

See synonyms for surrender on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of surrender

1425–75; (v.) late Middle English surrendren<Anglo-French surrender,Old French surrendre to give up, equivalent to sur-sur-¹ + rendre to render¹; (noun) <Anglo-French; Old French surrendre, noun use of the infinitive

synonym study for surrender

1. See yield.

OTHER WORDS FROM surrender

sur·ren·der·er, nounnon·sur·ren·der, nounpre·sur·ren·der, nounpro·sur·ren·der, adjective

un·sur·ren·dered, adjectiveun·sur·ren·der·ing, adjective

Words nearby surrender

surrealism, surrealistic, surrebuttal, surrebutter, surrejoinder, surrender, surrender value, surreptitious, surreptitiously, surrey, surrogacy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use surrender in a sentence

They also want Subway to end its alleged practice of mislabeling its tuna sandwiches and surrender profits it earned from the practice.
Subway’s tuna is not tuna, but a ‘mixture of various concoctions,’ a lawsuit alleges|Tim Carman|January 27, 2021|Washington Post
He was on Interpol’s Red Notice list, meaning the international police organization had asked law-enforcement bodies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action.
Masters, U.S. Open champion Ángel Cabrera arrested in Brazil over several charges in Argentina|Matt Bonesteel|January 15, 2021|Washington Post
At least that’s how it looks through the lens of Western science, where all things come to an end, winding down in a final surrender to entropy.
Over Time, Buddhism and Science Agree - Issue 94: Evolving|David P. Barash|December 23, 2020|Nautilus
When Mahmoud Abdelkader ceded his last company, Balanced, a financial tech, or fintech, firm where he worked as chief technology officer, to longtime rival Stripe in 2015, the surrender meant only temporary defeat.
Very Good Security raises $60 million to make data force fields for DoorDash, Brex|rhhackettfortune|December 21, 2020|Fortune

Salisbury, with the mob behind him, knocked on July Perry’s front door and demanded his surrender.
A Forgotten Election Day Massacre in Florida That Still Haunts Today|Sean Braswell|October 23, 2020|Ozy
It is the summit of human happiness: the surrender of man to God, of woman to man, of several women to the same man.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The indicted are not going to show up at the federal courthouse in Pittsburgh to surrender to federal marshals.
Sony Blames North Korea for Hacking, but Washington Left Them Completely Vulnerable|Gordon G. Chang|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The question then comes down to what version will the grand jury believe: Was Brown trying to surrender when shot?
Why Darren Wilson Will Walk|Dean Obeidallah|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Buddhist and Hindu literature is rich with stories of disciples finally learning to surrender in this way.
Is India’s Fallen ‘God-Man’ So Different From a Megachurch Pastor?|Jay Michaelson|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Linda Greenhouse, the longtime Supreme Court reporter for the New York Times, declared surrender Thursday.
A Reminder: Our Justices are Politicians in Robes|Jedediah Purdy|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Please advise the surrender as soon as possible in order to give due and solemn publicity to the event.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Ill should I repay the family who fostered my son, were I to surrender their darling into the hands of his enemies.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
At any rate, whatsoever that curious reservation meant, the majority of the staff were opposed to surrender.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
At the time of Blcher's surrender at Lbeck he had treated with great courtesy certain Swedish prisoners.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
The Americans demanded the surrender of the Arsenal, the Admiral, and the surviving crews of the destroyed fleet.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman

British Dictionary definitions for surrender

surrender

/ (səˈrɛndə) /

verb

(tr) to relinquish to the control or possession of another under duress or on demandto surrender a city

(tr) to relinquish or forego (an office, position, etc), esp as a voluntary concession to anotherhe surrendered his place to a lady

to give (oneself) up physically, as or as if to an enemy

to allow (oneself) to yield, as to a temptation, influence, etc

(tr) to give up (hope, etc)

(tr) law to give up or restore (an estate), esp to give up a lease before expiration of the term

(tr) obsolete to return or render (thanks, etc)

surrender to bail to present oneself at court at the appointed time after having been on bail

noun

the act or instance of surrendering

insurance the voluntary discontinuation of a life policy by its holder in return for a consideration (the surrender value)

law

the yielding up or restoring of an estate, esp the giving up of a lease before its term has expired
the giving up to the appropriate authority of a fugitive from justice
the act of surrendering or being surrendered to bail
the deed by which a legal surrender is effected

Derived forms of surrender

surrenderer, noun

Word Origin for surrender

C15: from Old French surrendre to yield, from sur- 1 + rendre to render

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

surrender

OTHER WORDS FOR surrender

Origin of surrender

synonym study for surrender

OTHER WORDS FROM surrender

Words nearby surrender

Words related to surrender

How to use surrender in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for surrender

Derived forms of surrender

Word Origin for surrender