verb

resign

rih-ZYN

verb

To formally give up a job or position.

"The minister resigned after the scandal broke."

"She resigned from her role as manager to start her own business."

To accept an unwelcome situation as unavoidable (usually "resign oneself").

"He resigned himself to a long wait at the airport."

How to Use Resign

Learner’s notes

Common mistake

Don't confuse with "re-sign" (to sign again, e.g. a contract) — same spelling without the hyphen but a different meaning.

Common pairings

resign from a position resign oneself to resign in protest

Word Forms

resigned past tense, resign plural, resigned plural, resigns singular, resign singular, resigned singular, resignest singular, resignedst singular, resigneth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The minister _____ after the scandal broke.

Etymology

From Latin resignare, "to unseal, annul" — from re- plus signare, "to seal, stamp".

Synonyms

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quit

Related Words

abandon leave pay quit persevere

Rhymes for resign

design redesign

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