relinquished

USAGE SUMMARY

"relinquished" is correct and usable in written English.
It is a verb meaning to surrender, give up, or cease to keep something. Example sentence: After years of fighting for his rights, the prisoner finally relinquished his claim to the court.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

As far as I'm aware not a single banker has so far resigned, been sacked, or relinquished their bonus as a result of the campaign.

The Guardian - Opinion

Wednesday's announcement of further boycotts had brought the total number of artists forgoing the Biennale to nine, after five artists, including de Vietri, last week announced they had "revoked our works, cancelled our public events and relinquished our artists' fees" for the event, scheduled to begin on 21 March.

The Guardian - Arts

Intimidated by the inquisitorial nature of the investigation, deprived of representation, and fearful they would lose their jobs, the officers complied with the Port Authority directive and relinquished their cell phones to invasive searches".

The Guardian

Miller pointed out at the time that the payout was contractual as he had "relinquished equity" in joining GMG.

The Guardian

Avakhov said Yanukovych arrived in Crimea on Sunday, relinquished his official security detail and then drove off to an unknown location.

The Guardian

And there may be positive signs amid the bloodshed in the Arab world from the popular distrust signalled by Egypt's rejection of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group that briefly ruled after the 2011 revolution, to the way that Ennahda, Tunisia's Islamist party, relinquished power after recent elections.

The Economist

Regarded by his staff with adoration ("Ted is magical, really smart, really courageous," murmurs Mr Heyer), Mr Turner has relinquished his treasured independence in exchange for the job of vice-president of the merged monster.

The Economist

Though Mr Ozawa has relinquished his role as the DPJ head, few expect him to give up his role as the power behind the throne.

The Economist

But the subsequent siege and capture of Calais gave England a foothold in northern France that would not be relinquished until 1558.On his return to England, Edward commemorated these triumphs by founding the Company of the Garter, a society of knights headed by himself and his eldest son, the Black Prince.

The Economist

The party has gained control of more than 20 councils, including the big city of Birmingham, and held on to more.The Tories won just 31% of the vote and relinquished councils such as Dudley, Harlow and Plymouth.

The Economist

Worse, in a vain last-ditch attempt to sway congressmen to its side, the PT relinquished other leadership positions in the Chamber of Deputies and control of the choicest commissions.This is a setback for Ms Rousseff's planned legislation, which she outlined in a message to Congress on February 2nd.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "relinquished" when you want to convey a formal or deliberate act of giving up something, especially a right, claim, or position. It suggests a voluntary action, often with a sense of finality.

Common error

Avoid using "relinquished" interchangeably with words like "abandoned" or "left behind". "Relinquished" implies a conscious and often formal decision to give something up, while "abandoned" suggests a hurried or forced departure, and "left behind" simply indicates something was not taken.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "relinquished" is that of a verb, specifically the past tense and past participle of the verb "relinquish". As shown in the Ludwig examples, it's used to describe a completed action of giving up something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "relinquished" is a verb denoting the act of voluntarily giving up or surrendering something, typically a right, claim, or position. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is grammatically sound and contextually versatile. The term is most frequently encountered in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts. When writing, it's important to use "relinquished" to describe conscious decisions, differentiating it from similar words like "abandoned". Some of the possible alternatives are "gave up", "surrendered" and "ceded".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

gave up

Indicates a simple act of ceasing to do or have something; more general than "relinquished".

surrendered

Implies yielding to an opponent or force; often used in military or competitive contexts, whereas "relinquished" does not necessarily imply an opponent.

ceded

Suggests formally giving up possession or control, especially of territory or rights; more formal and specific than "relinquished".

abandoned

Conveys a sense of desertion or leaving something behind, often implying neglect; "relinquished" suggests a more deliberate and voluntary action.

renounced

Implies a formal rejection or disavowal of something, such as a belief or claim; more formal than "relinquished".

waived

Means to voluntarily give up a right or claim; more specific to legal or formal contexts than "relinquished".

forfeited

Indicates losing something as a penalty for wrongdoing or failure to meet obligations; carries a negative connotation not necessarily present in "relinquished".

vacated

Suggests leaving a position or place; less about giving something up and more about leaving a space.

yielded

Implies giving way or submitting to pressure; can be used in both literal and figurative senses.

left behind

Focuses on the action of physically or metaphorically leaving something behind, often unintentionally or out of necessity, differing from the voluntary implication of "relinquished".

FAQs

How is "relinquished" typically used in a sentence?

The term "relinquished" is typically used to describe the act of giving up or surrendering something, such as a position, right, or claim, often voluntarily. For example: "The CEO "relinquished" his role after the scandal."

What are some alternatives to the word "relinquished"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "gave up", "surrendered", "ceded", or "renounced" instead of "relinquished".

Is it correct to say "relinquished of" something?

While grammatically understandable, it's more common and natural to say "relinquished something" without the "of". For example, "He "relinquished" his title" is preferred over "He relinquished of his title".

What's the difference between "relinquished" and "abandoned"?

"Relinquished" usually implies a voluntary and deliberate act of giving something up, while "abandoned" suggests leaving something behind, often due to necessity or without intending to return. To "relinquish" a post is usually planned; to abandon it is usually unexpected and disorderly.