What does resign mean?
To resign is to formally give up a job, office, or position, usually because one chooses to leave or because the position has become untenable. In its broader and more literary use, resign means to stop resisting a situation and accept it as unavoidable: a person may resign themselves to delays, circumstances, or a difficult decision. The word is common in British and American English, particularly in news and workplace contexts. Expressions such as “resign from the post,” “resign in protest,” and “tender one’s resignation” are established professional idioms. Unlike “dismiss,” which generally means to be removed by an employer, “resign” presents the departure as voluntary. The word can also convey a formal, final sense of relinquishment, whether of an office, responsibility, or one’s former expectations.
verbTo formally give up a job, office, or position. In a broader sense, to accept a difficult or unpleasant situation without protest.
- To formally give up a job, office, or position.
- To accept or yield to a situation, especially one that cannot be changed, without protest.
- To surrender or relinquish control of a role, responsibility, or opportunity.
"After several months of escalating conflict, the minister decided to resign."
"The governor announced that she would resign after the end of the legislative session."
"He resigned himself to the long wait and spent the afternoon rereading old newspapers."
Resign originally meant to “unseal” something: the word's journey from releasing a sealed document to leaving an office is a reminder that ordinary words can quietly change their meaning.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does resign come from?
Resign comes from Latin resignare, originally meaning “to unseal” or “to cancel,” from re- (“back” or “again”) and signare (“to sign” or “to seal”). Its sense of formally giving up a position developed through the idea of releasing or abandoning what one has accepted or held. The English word entered use in the 16th century and became especially established in administrative and political contexts. Its relatives, including resignation and resignee, continue to reflect the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How resign is actually used
In its employment sense, resign is usually followed by “from” plus a position or organization, or by the possessive form of a role: “resign from the board” and “resign her post.” The phrase “resign oneself to” is more literary and means to accept something patiently or reluctantly.
Easily confused with resign
To resign means to give up a position voluntarily, whereas to assign means to allocate a task, role, or responsibility to someone.
To resign means to relinquish a position, while to design means to plan or create something.