relinquish

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "relinquish" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to describe giving up a possession, power, or responsibility, or ceasing to hold or adhere to something. Example sentence: She chose to relinquish her rights to the property.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But there was still uncertainty over whether elements in Jonathan's Peoples Democratic party (PDP) would relinquish power after 16 years or resist in the courts and on the streets.

The Guardian

Its Lisbon treaty leaves security matters to member states and it is still particularly hard for EU countries to relinquish sovereignty over defence and security.

The Guardian

One of these T&C clauses read as follows: "YOUR FIRST-BORN CHILD: In using this service, you agree to relinquish your first-born child to F-Secure, as and when the company requires it.

The Guardian - Tech

I find it very, very hard to take myself away from things, to relinquish any amount of control.

The Guardian

Jeffrey Vogt, the legal adviser for ITUC, stresses that just because workers aren't employed by the universities, it does not mean that they should relinquish responsibilities.

The Guardian

Trey Gowdy, Republican of South Carolina, the chairman of a House committee investigating the 2012 Benghazi attacks, said Clinton wiped her email server "clean", permanently deleting all emails from it and has declined to relinquish her server to a third party for an independent review.

The Guardian

Fast track would relinquish Congress's constitutional authority to the President to "regulate commerce with foreign nations", limit our debate and prevent members of Congress from improving trade agreements to benefit the American people.

The Guardian - Opinion

After Ofsted inspected 16 schools run by the chain E-Act, the group received a damning report and was asked to relinquish 10 of the 36 schools it runs.

The Guardian

They allow people to relinquish responsibility to superheroes.

The Guardian - Film

"At the very least," he said, "we should debate, we should debate whether or not we are going to relinquish our rights or whether or not we are going to have a full and able debate over whether or not we can live within the constitution or whether or not we have to go around the constitution".

The Guardian

Were she to ease up on the message of austerity, she would also have to relinquish any leverage in getting her ideas of a more cohesive European political union implemented.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about formal situations like legal agreements or official duties, "relinquish" is a strong and appropriate verb. Use it to emphasize the voluntary nature of giving something up.

Common error

Avoid using "relinquish" in very informal contexts. It's a formal word and can sound out of place in casual conversation or writing. Opt for more casual alternatives like "give up" or "let go" in those situations.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "relinquish" is as a transitive verb, requiring a direct object. It describes the action of voluntarily giving up or surrendering something. Ludwig AI confirms that it is a word with standard grammar rules.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Formal & Business

23%

Science

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "relinquish" is a transitive verb, commonly used in formal contexts like news reports and business communications to express the act of voluntarily giving up something. As stated by Ludwig AI, the word follows standard grammar rules and is generally considered grammatically correct. While versatile, it's crucial to maintain awareness of its formality and choose more casual alternatives like "give up" or "let go of" in informal settings. Knowing the best usage, common errors, and several alternatives enables writers to effectively communicate ideas, and avoid potentially inappropriate usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

give up

Emphasizes the act of stopping an effort or abandoning something.

let go of

Focuses on releasing one's grip or control over something.

renounce

Implies a formal rejection or abandonment of a claim or belief.

cede

Suggests formally handing over control or territory.

waive

Involves voluntarily giving up a right or claim.

surrender

Often used in contexts of conflict or defeat, implying a forced giving up.

abandon

Implies leaving something behind completely and permanently.

forsake

Suggests abandoning someone or something cherished.

yield

Implies giving way to pressure or influence.

release

Focuses on setting free or liberating from control.

FAQs

How can I use "relinquish" in a sentence?

You can use "relinquish" to describe giving up something voluntarily. For example, "The company had to "relinquish" control of its subsidiary".

What's the difference between "relinquish" and "surrender"?

"Relinquish" implies a voluntary act of giving something up, while "surrender" often suggests being forced to give something up, often in a conflict.

What are some alternatives to "relinquish"?

Alternatives to "relinquish" include "give up", "let go of", "renounce", and "waive", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "relinquish of"?

No, the correct usage is simply "relinquish" followed by the object being given up. For example, "relinquish control", not "relinquish of control".