ceded

verb

past tense of cede
1
as in relinquished
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress she reluctantly ceded her position as leader

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2
as in transferred
to give over the legal possession or ownership of Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States as part of the settlement of the Spanish-American War

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3
as in abdicated
to give up (as a position of authority) formally the President officially cedes his position on the January 20th immediately following the presidential election

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ceded Since its arrival, the juggernaut has only ceded the summit to two other songs, both by Drake. — Trevor Anderson, Billboard, 20 Oct. 2026 Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency ceded some of its climate authority by repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas. — Lindsay Whitehurst, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026 Other leaders seem resigned to the fact that this 80-year global experiment in cooperative international relations has ceded the floor once again to the world order of coercion that dictated most of human history. — Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026 Opponents of the bills, however — mostly water districts and business and agricultural associations — said the measures ceded too much control to tribes and could slow in particular efforts at water development, at a pivotal moment for the state. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026 The chain of more than 60 islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean off the tip of India, south of the Maldives, has been under British control since 1814, when they were ceded by France. — ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026 The Haudenosaunee ultimately sued for peace, signing a treaty at Fort Stanwix in 1784, which ceded lands in New York and Pennsylvania, and opened up the Ohio Valley for settlement. — Scott Baldauf, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 2026 As Iran’s hard-line regime has given way to an even harder-line one, the Administration has effectively ceded control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most significant waterways. — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 Chances were limited by tight end sets (removing a slot receiver from the formation) and the amount of real estate Wisconsin ceded underneath their coverages. — Pete Sampson, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ceded
  1. relinquished
  2. transferred
  3. abdicated
  4. surrendered
  5. assigned
  6. resigned
  7. rendered
  8. bequeathed
Verb
  • Although dozens of islands were claimed through this process, the overwhelming bulk of these claims were relinquished in the late 20th century as the island countries of Oceania began to achieve independence.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Panettiere had relinquished custody of Kaya to Klitschko in 2018.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of relinquished
Verb
  • General admission floor tickets could not be transferred and could be resold only at face value, a rule meant to curb scalping.
    — James LaForge, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Any unspent money would remain in the fund for the benefit of families with newborns and could not be transferred to other city purposes.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of transferred
Verb
  • Naruhito assumed the duties of emperor, a position with ceremonial roles but no political power, after his father Akihito abdicated earlier in the year.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • After both sisters had abdicated planning the memorial, logistical matters—the casket and its transport, the readings, and, yes, the flowers—had fallen to the front desk volunteer of a church my grandmother no longer attended.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of abdicated
Verb
  • He was stationed in India in 1945 when Japan surrendered, marking the end of the war.
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2026
  • There were penalties that hampered a couple drives and a few too many explosive plays surrendered on defense for a second consecutive week for Cristobal’s liking.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of surrendered
Verb
  • In previous election cycles, state officials in the states where monitors were assigned were notified at the same time as the counties.
    — Miles Parks, NPR, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Advertisement The docuseries marks the first time the Loofe clan is sharing their side of the story, along with Nebraska investigators and an FBI agent assigned to the case.
    — Samantha Bergeson, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of assigned
Verb
  • But Vucic, who resigned from his second term as president to run again for prime minister, is a strong incumbent.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Since Sorrells was sworn in, at least 79 assistant district attorneys have resigned, according to a source familiar with the departures.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of resigned
Verb
  • After officers rendered immediate medical aid, paramedics responded and pronounced the man dead at the scene.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Advertisement That prescription has rankled many cybersecurity experts who scoff at the possibility that their expertise will be rendered obsolete.
    — Harry Booth, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of rendered
Verb
  • But her tradition does appear to have bequeathed her a powerful suspicion of the will.
    — James Wood, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Charles Hall later bequeathed the property to his wife and children when his health declined, family said.
    — Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of bequeathed

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Cite this Entry

“Ceded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ceded. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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