abdicate
Surrender the throne
To abdicate is to give up a position of power, most often a throne.
A monarch who abdicates renounces sovereignty and leaves the role permanently: Edward VIII abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson.
The word extends to any formal relinquishment of authority or responsibility: The board accused the CEO of abdicating his duties.
Formally give up
- relinquishVoluntarily give up control
- forsakeAbandon completely
- abandonLeave behind permanently
- vacateLeave a place empty
cede · waive · forfeit · surrender · yield · disclaim · disown · divest
Ceremonial chair for sovereigns
- crownSovereign's ornamental headpiece
- kingMale crowned ruler
- queenMost powerful chess piece
- emperorMale ruler of empire
tsar · czar · sovereign · regent · dynasty · succession · heir · coronation
Cease doing something
vacate · demission · resignation · leave · discontinue · terminate · departure
Required moral task
- obligationRequired task or commitment
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- rolePosition or part
- neglectFailure to provide care
shirk · desert · evade · default · dereliction · fail · dodge · avoid
renounce
Formally give up
- relinquishVoluntarily give up control
- forsakeAbandon completely
- abandonLeave behind permanently
vacate · cede · waive · forfeit · surrender · yield · disclaim · disown · divest · abnegate
throne
Ceremonial chair for sovereigns
emperor · tsar · czar · sovereign · regent · dynasty · succession · heir · coronation · realm
quit
Cease doing something
retire · vacate · demission · resignation · leave · discontinue · terminate · departure
duty
Required moral task
- obligationRequired task or commitment
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- rolePosition or part
neglect · shirk · desert · evade · default · dereliction · fail · dodge · avoid · sidestep
- giving upgive up, giving up, quit, quitting, surrender
- governance verbsgovern, rule, reign, legislate, regulate
- resigngive notice, step down
- surrendersurrender, surrenders, surrendering, I surrender, capitulate
- quittingquit, resign, resignation, stop, end
abdicateusurp
Seize without right
seize · assume · seize power · accede · claim
- royal abdicationMonarch formally surrenders crown
- forced abdicationInvoluntary relinquishment of sovereignty