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Relinquish vs Withhold - What's the difference?

relinquish | withhold |

In transitive terms the difference between relinquish and withhold

is that relinquish is to accept to give up, withdraw etc while withhold is to retain; to keep back; not to grant; as, to withhold assent to a proposition.

relinquish

English

Verb

(es)
  • To give up, abandon or retire from something.
  • to relinquish a title
    to relinquish property
    to relinquish rights
    to relinquish citizenship or nationality
  • To let go (free, away), physically release.
  • To metaphorically surrender, yield control or possession.
  • * 2011 , Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/15210221.stm]
  • But it was the most fleeting of false dawns. Dmitri Yachvilli slotted a penalty from distance after Flood failed to release his man on the deck, and France took a grip they would never relinquish .
  • To accept to give up, withdraw etc.
  • ''The delegations saved the negotiations by relinquishing their incompatible claims to sole jurisdiction

    Derived terms

    * (l)

    withhold

    English

    Verb

  • To keep (a physical object that one has obtained) to oneself rather than giving it back to its owner.
  • To keep (information, etc) to oneself rather than revealing it.
  • To retain; to keep back; not to grant; as, to withhold assent to a proposition.
  • Synonyms

    * retain

    Derived terms

    * overwithhold * underwithhold