cession

noun

ˈse-shən How to pronounce cession (audio)
Definition of cessionnext
as in surrender
the usually forced yielding of one's person or possessions to the control of another the cession of the southern territories was part of the peace treaty

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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 cession Polls show that a minority of Ukrainians support a peace plan that includes territorial cession, although support for such an outcome is growing. — Olivier Kempf, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 The other is from the perspective of my people, who have lived in Alaska for thousands of years, and for whom the anniversary of the cession brings mixed emotions, including immense loss but also optimism. — William L. Iggiagruk Hensley, The Conversation, 29 Mar. 2017 Thomas Jefferson and other politicians, many of them land speculators, would pursue Native land cessions for both personal and political gain into the 1800s. — Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026 Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out said that the 1851 and 1868 Fort Laramie treaties requires the US government to provide food, supplies and support in exchange for peace, land cessions and passage. — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cession
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cession
  1. surrender
  2. submission
  3. relinquishment
Noun
  • Bank in, low block, surrender possession, everyone behind the ball, defend for your lives, play on the counter, hope for a set piece — there’s nothing wrong with any of that.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • Hingham is the birthplace of Major General Benjamin Lincoln — George Washington’s second-in-command, who famously accepted the British surrender at Yorktown — and home to the direct ancestors of Abraham Lincoln.
    — Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 4 July 2026
Definition of surrender
Noun
  • The statement amounted to a complete submission to Thomas, who used her Tuesday media availability to blast Engelbert.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • With three different categories, judges from across the USA TODAY Network ranked each submission in order to narrow down the contest to just 30 finalists.
    — Krista Johnson, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of submission
Noun
  • In North Carolina, a 2024 study examining state enforcement laws found that despite 93% of cases meeting the conditions for gun relinquishment, the policy was enforced in only 37% of cases.
    — Sativa Banks, The Conversation, 4 June 2026
  • Benjamin qualified for the national bee by winning the San Diego County Scripps Regional Spelling Bee in March, correctly spelling kenosis, the relinquishment of divine attributes by Jesus Christ in becoming human, in the 23rd round.
    — City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2026
Definition of relinquishment

Browse Nearby Words

cessations
cession
cessions
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Cite this Entry

“Cession.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cession. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cession

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cession

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