surrender
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to stop fighting or resisting because you know you cannot win.
v.to cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority. Often used intransitively in military contexts.
Simple“The soldiers were forced to surrender after they ran out of food and ammunition.”
In context“After weeks of heavy bombardment and dwindling supplies, the garrison was left with no choice but to surrender to the advancing forces.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
v.to give up something you own or a right you have, often because you are required to.
v.to give up possession or control of something to another, especially under legal or official compulsion.
Simple“You must surrender your passport to the authorities while the investigation continues.”
In context“The defendant was ordered to surrender all travel documents to the court to ensure he would not flee the jurisdiction before the trial.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
v.to stop trying to control a strong feeling or influence.
v.to abandon oneself to a particular influence, emotion, or impulse. Often used reflexively with 'to'.
Simple“She decided to surrender to her grief and cried for hours.”
In context“Exhausted by the long journey, he finally surrendered to sleep, oblivious to the storm raging outside the cabin.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the act of admitting defeat or giving up control.
n.the action of yielding one's person or giving up the possession of something especially into the power of another.
Simple“The general signed the surrender in a small house near the battlefield.”
In context“The sudden surrender of the rebel leaders brought an unexpected and welcome end to the decade-long civil war.”
SynonymsAntonyms
“The state's premier Chris Minns said on Saturday: "We want those guns handed in, compensated for and safely destroyed." He said the move could see hundreds of thousands of guns surrendered.”
“The Soviet Union declared war on Japan in August 1945 as Tokyo was about to surrender, and the dispute has prevented the two nations from signing a formal peace treaty.”
Etymology tree Middle English surrendren English surrender From Middle English surrendren, from Old French surrendre, from sur- + rendre (“render”). Displaced native Old English on hand gān.
From Middle English surrendre, from Anglo-Norman surrendre, infinitive as noun. Displaced native Old English handgang.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.