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resign

quit a job / step down / surrender / accept fate
Intransitive VerbTransitive Verb
past: resignedpp: resigneding: resigning

This term carries a strong sense of formality and finality, typically associated with professional or political spheres. When used to describe leaving a job, it implies a voluntary act of stepping down, though in political contexts, it often occurs under external pressure or scandal. When paired with a reflexive pronoun as in "resign oneself," the meaning shifts from an active departure to a passive acceptance. This usage evokes a feeling of defeat or stoicism, where an individual stops resisting an inevitable and undesirable outcome.

Meanings

Intransitive Verb
[~][~ from something]

To voluntarily leave a job or a position of authority.

"The CEO decided to resign after the scandal broke."

Transitive Verb
[~ something]

To formally give up a position, office, or claim.

"She resigned her seat in parliament to pursue a career in law."

Transitive Verb
[~ oneself to something]

To accept something unpleasant that cannot be avoided.

"He resigned himself to the fact that he would have to work through the weekend."

Transitive Verb
[~ something]

To give up or surrender a right, claim, or possession.

"The defeated king was forced to resign his crown to the conqueror."

Related Words

Last Updated: June 13, 2026Report an Error