vacate, resign, renounce, give up (verb)

leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily

"She vacated the position when she got pregnant"; "The chairman resigned when he was found to have misappropriated funds"

leave office, quit, step down, resign (verb)

give up or retire from a position

"The Secretary of the Navy will leave office next month"; "The chairman resigned over the financial scandal"

release, relinquish, resign, free, give up (verb)

part with a possession or right

"I am relinquishing my bedroom to the long-term house guest"; "resign a claim to the throne"

resign, reconcile, submit (verb)

accept as inevitable

"He resigned himself to his fate"

resign

Resignation is the formal act of leaving or quitting one's office or position. A resignation can occur when a person holding a position gained by election or appointment steps down, but leaving a position upon the expiration of a term, or choosing not to seek an additional term, is not considered resignation. When an employee chooses to leave a position, it is considered a resignation, as opposed to involuntary termination. Whether an employee resigned or was terminated is sometimes a topic of dispute, because in many situations, a terminated employee is eligible for severance pay and/or unemployment benefits, whereas one who voluntarily resigns may not be eligible. Abdication is the equivalent of resignation for a reigning monarch, pope, or holder of another similar position.