abdicate

abdicate, renounce, resign are synonymous when they are used in the sense of to give up formally or definitely a position of trust, honor, or glory, or its concomitant authority or prerogatives. Abdicate is the precise word to use when that which is relinquished involves sovereign or inherent power; it is applied specifically to the act of a monarch who gives up his throne, but in extended use it may also be applied to any act involving surrender of an inherent dignity or claim to preeminence

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the father image of the chancellor casts a long and overpowering shadow over a people which has in the past abdicated its political thinking and social sovereignty to the paternalistic leader— Handler

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Renounce is often used in place of abdicate

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the king renounced his throne

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especially when sacrifice for a greater end is intentionally implied. So strong is this implication and also that of finality in renounce (see also ABJURE) that it and its derivative renunciation often connote self-denial or surrender for the sake of moral or spiritual discipline. Consequently one renounces not only a right, a title, an inheritance, but also some desired or desirable possession

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she remains . . . the sort of woman who has renounced all happiness for herself and who lives only for a principle— T. S. Eliot

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Resign is used in reference chiefly to positions held on tenure and formally relinquished; ordinarily it implies asking permission to leave a position or office before the expiration of a term.

Analogous words: *relinquish, surrender, abandon, leave

Antonyms: assume: usurp

Contrasted words: *arrogate, appropriate, confiscate