relinquish ri-ˈliŋ-kwish verb
1. turn away from; give up
2. do without or cease to hold or adhere to
3. part with a possession or right
4. release, as from one’s grip
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The word relinquish has appeared in 122 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Oct. 25 in “At Last, a Royal Wedding. But No Trumpets, Just a News Conference.” by Motoko Rich and Makiko Inoue:
Under the Imperial Household Law, which governs the succession of Japan’s emperors, women are not allowed to reign on the throne. The law also stipulates that Princess Mako must relinquish her royal title because she is marrying a commoner, and she will become a commoner herself. Any children she has will not be in line to the throne.
A vast majority of the Japanese public thinks the law should be amended so that women — including Princess Aiko, the 19-year-old daughter of the current emperor, Naruhito — can sit on the throne. A recent survey by Kyodo News showed that about 80 percent also want children born of royal women like Princess Mako to be in the line of succession.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word relinquish in a sentence?
Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.
If you want a better idea of how relinquish can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.
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Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.
