surrender

[ suh-ren-der ]

verb (used with object)

1. 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.

2. to give (oneself ) up, as to the police.
3. to give (oneself ) up to some influence, course, emotion, etc.:

   He surrendered himself to a life of hardship.

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

   Synonyms: renounce

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

   Synonyms: forgo, abandon, cede, waive

verb (used without object)

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

   Synonyms: capitulate

noun

1. the act or an instance of surrendering.

   Synonyms: relinquishment, capitulation

2. Insurance. the voluntary abandonment of a life-insurance policy by the owner for any of its nonforfeiture values.
3. the deed by which a legal surrendering is made.

surrender

/ səˈrɛndə /

verb

1. tr to relinquish to the control or possession of another under duress or on demand

   to surrender a city

2. tr to relinquish or forego (an office, position, etc), esp as a voluntary concession to another

   he surrendered his place to a lady

3. to give (oneself) up physically, as or as if to an enemy
4. to allow (oneself) to yield, as to a temptation, influence, etc
5. tr to give up (hope, etc)
6. tr law to give up or restore (an estate), esp to give up a lease before expiration of the term
7. obsolete.
   tr to return or render (thanks, etc)
8. surrender to bail
   to present oneself at court at the appointed time after having been on bail

noun

1. the act or instance of surrendering
2. insurance the voluntary discontinuation of a life policy by its holder in return for a consideration (the surrender value )
3. law
   1. the yielding up or restoring of an estate, esp the giving up of a lease before its term has expired
   2. the giving up to the appropriate authority of a fugitive from justice
   3. the act of surrendering or being surrendered to bail
   4. the deed by which a legal surrender is effected

Derived Forms

• surˈrenderer, noun

Other Words From

• sur·render·er noun
• nonsur·render noun
• presur·render noun
• prosur·render adjective
• unsur·rendered adjective
• unsur·render·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of surrender¹

First recorded in 1425–75; (for the verb) late Middle English surrendren, from Anglo-French surrender, Old French surrendre “to give up,” from sur- sur- ¹ + rendre “to render” ( render ¹ ); (for the noun) from Anglo-French; Old French surrendre, noun use of the infinitive

Word History and Origins

Origin of surrender¹

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

Synonym Study

See yield.

Example Sentences

They also want Subway to end its alleged practice of mislabeling its tuna sandwiches and surrender profits it earned from the practice.

From 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.

From 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.

From 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.

From Fortune

Salisbury, with the mob behind him, knocked on July Perry’s front door and demanded his surrender.

From 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.

From The Daily Beast

The indicted are not going to show up at the federal courthouse in Pittsburgh to surrender to federal marshals.

From The Daily Beast

The question then comes down to what version will the grand jury believe: Was Brown trying to surrender when shot?

From The Daily Beast

Buddhist and Hindu literature is rich with stories of disciples finally learning to surrender in this way.

From The Daily Beast

Linda Greenhouse, the longtime Supreme Court reporter for the New York Times, declared surrender Thursday.

From The Daily Beast

Please advise the surrender as soon as possible in order to give due and solemn publicity to the event.

From Project Gutenberg

Ill should I repay the family who fostered my son, were I to surrender their darling into the hands of his enemies.

From Project Gutenberg

At any rate, whatsoever that curious reservation meant, the majority of the staff were opposed to surrender.

From Project Gutenberg

At the time of Blcher's surrender at Lbeck he had treated with great courtesy certain Swedish prisoners.

From Project Gutenberg

The Americans demanded the surrender of the Arsenal, the Admiral, and the surviving crews of the destroyed fleet.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abandonment
• abdication
• acquiescence
• capitulation
• delivery
• renunciation
• submission