abdicating
Giving up power
Abdicating is giving up a position of power or responsibility.
A monarch abdicates the throne; a parent abdicates their role.
The word carries a sense of formal renunciation or abandonment of duty: By ignoring the crisis, the mayor was abdicating leadership.
See abdicate.
Voluntarily relinquishing a role
- retirementLeaving the workforce permanently
- withdrawalAct of taking away
- departureAct of going away
- exitWay to leave
bowing out · quitting · demission · disengagement · farewell · termination · cessation · discontinuation
Ceremonial chair for sovereigns
- crownSovereign's ornamental headpiece
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- reignSovereign's time in power
- dynastySuccessive family rulers
succession · royalty · kingdom · emperor · queen · prince · regent · heir
Formally abandoning a claim
- cedingFormally surrendering territory or rights
- yieldingBending under pressure
- forsakingRenouncing or abandoning completely
- surrenderingCeasing to resist
waiving · releasing · abandoning · foregoing · disclaiming · disowning · letting go · giving up
Power to enforce obedience
- controlAuthority to direct
- governanceHow authority is exercised
- leadershipAbility to direct others
- dominionAuthority to rule
rule · supremacy · command · jurisdiction · mandate · sovereignty · dominance · hegemony
Complete yielding to demands
- submissionYielding to another's will
- concessionYielding a point
- succumbingCeasing to resist
- acquiescenceUnresisting acceptance
collapse · downfall · overthrow · fall · white flag · laying down arms · giving in
stepping down
Voluntarily relinquishing a role
- retirementLeaving the workforce permanently
- withdrawalAct of taking away
- departureAct of going away
exit · bowing out · quitting · demission · disengagement · farewell · termination · cessation · discontinuation
throne
Ceremonial chair for sovereigns
- crownSovereign's ornamental headpiece
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- reignSovereign's time in power
dynasty · succession · royalty · kingdom · emperor · queen · prince · regent · heir · coronation
renouncing
Formally abandoning a claim
- cedingFormally surrendering territory or rights
- yieldingBending under pressure
- forsakingRenouncing or abandoning completely
surrendering · waiving · releasing · abandoning · foregoing · disclaiming · disowning · letting go · giving up · handing over
authority
Power to enforce obedience
- controlAuthority to direct
- governanceHow authority is exercised
- leadershipAbility to direct others
dominion · rule · supremacy · command · jurisdiction · mandate · sovereignty · dominance · hegemony · office
capitulation
Complete yielding to demands
- submissionYielding to another's will
- concessionYielding a point
- succumbingCeasing to resist
acquiescence · collapse · downfall · overthrow · fall · white flag · laying down arms · giving in
- surrendersurrender, surrenders, surrendering, I surrender, capitulate
- letting goletting go, forgive, giving up, let go, relinquishing
- leavingdeparture, quit, walking away, withdrawing, bail
abdicatingaccepting
Willing to receive
assuming · embracing · shouldering · undertaking · taking on
- royal abdicationMonarch formally surrenders crown
- forced abdicationInvoluntary relinquishment of sovereignty