surrender
suh-REHN-duh
Surrender (verb) means to stop fighting or resisting and give oneself up to an opponent. Example: “After a long chase, the thief finally surrendered to the police.”
verb
1
To stop fighting or resisting and give oneself up to an opponent.
"After a long chase, the thief finally surrendered to the police."
"The team refused to surrender, even when they were three goals down."
"The garrison surrendered after weeks under siege."
2
To give up possession of something, often reluctantly.
"Drivers must surrender their licence if a court bans them from driving."
"She had to surrender her passport at the border."
"He finally surrendered control of the company to his son."
noun
1
The act of giving up or submitting.
"After a long chess match, his surrender came with a handshake."
"Her surrender to the pressure of the crowd was clear to see."
"The general announced their unconditional surrender."
How to use surrender
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo stop resisting and give something (or yourself) up.
Common pairings
surrender to police
unconditional surrender
surrender control
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Word forms
- Plural
- surrenders
- Third person singular
- surrenders
- Past tense
- surrendered
Fill the gap
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After a long chase, the thief finally _____ to the police.
Etymology
From Old French surrendre, from sur- ("up, over") + rendre ("to give back, render").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for surrender
See all rhymes for surrender →Frequently asked questions
What does “surrender” mean?
The word “surrender” means to stop fighting or resisting and give oneself up to an opponent. In plain terms, to stop resisting and give something (or yourself) up.
How do you pronounce “surrender”?
“Surrender” is pronounced suh-REHN-duh (/səˈɹɛndə(ɹ)/ in IPA).
How do you use “surrender” in a sentence?
Here is “surrender” used in a sentence: “The garrison surrendered after weeks under siege.”
What is another word for “surrender”?
Words with a similar meaning to “surrender” include abandon, bend, capitulate, cave in, cede and deplore.
What is the opposite of “surrender”?
The opposite of “surrender” — its antonyms — are brave, control, defeat, dominate and persevere.
What part of speech is “surrender”?
Depending on how it is used, “surrender” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “surrender” come from?
The word “surrender” comes from Old French. From Old French surrendre, from sur- ("up, over") + rendre ("to give back, render").
Is “surrender” a common word?
“Surrender” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
What is the difference between surrender and capitulate?
Both mean to stop fighting or resisting and give in to an opponent, but capitulate is more formal and is used mainly of armies, governments, or organizations, often implying agreed terms of defeat. Surrender is the everyday word and covers everything from a battlefield defeat to reluctantly giving up possession of something.
What is the difference between surrender and give up?
Give up is the informal, conversational phrase, while surrender is more formal and suggests yielding to an opponent or authority. You might give up on a crossword, but soldiers surrender to an enemy and suspects surrender to the police.
Do you surrender something or surrender to something?
Both patterns are correct but mean different things. You surrender something when you give up possession of it, as in "he surrendered his passport," and you surrender to someone or something when you stop resisting, as in "the rebels surrendered to the army."
Is surrender always negative?
Usually it implies defeat or a reluctant loss, but not always. In legal and administrative English, surrendering a passport, lease, or license is neutral, routine wording for formally handing something over rather than an admission of failure.
