surrender

/səˈɹɛndə(ɹ)/

//səˈɹɛndə(ɹ)// verb

"surrender" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“surrender” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,188 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#6,188
frequency rank, English
9
letters
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To give up into the power, control, or possession of another.

Key facts for surrender
PropertyValue
Headwordsurrender
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/səˈɹɛndə(ɹ)/
Letters9
Frequency rank#6,188
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “surrender” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). surrender lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for surrender is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /səˈɹɛndə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,188 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for surrender, with forms such as "srurender", "ssurrender", and "surender". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Middle English surrendren English surrender From Middle English surrendren, from Old French surrendre, from sur- + rendre (“render”). Displaced native Old English on hand gān. The correct English form is surrender, spelled S-U-R-R-E-N-D-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    To give up into the power, control, or possession of another.
  2. 2
    To yield (a town, a fortification, etc.) to an enemy.
  3. 3
    To give oneself up into the power of another, especially as a prisoner; to submit or give in.
  4. 4
    To give up possession of; to yield; to resign.
  5. 5
    To yield (oneself) to an influence, emotion, passion, etc.
  6. 6
    To abandon (one's hand of cards) and recover half of the initial bet.
  7. 7
    For a policyholder, to voluntarily terminate an insurance contract before the end of its term, usually with the expectation of receiving a surrender value.

Etymology

Etymology tree Middle English surrendren English surrender From Middle English surrendren, from Old French surrendre, from sur- + rendre (“render”). Displaced native Old English on hand gān.

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: srurender,ssurrender,surender,surernder,surredner,surrendder,surrenderr,surrendre,surrenedr,surrennder,surrneder,usrrender

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of surrender - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

srurender2ssurrender1surender1surernder2surredner2surrendder1surrenderr1surrendre2
Edit distance from "surrender"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "surrender"?
"surrender" is spelled S-U-R-R-E-N-D-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /səˈɹɛndə(ɹ)/.
What does "surrender" mean?
As a verb, "surrender" means: To give up into the power, control, or possession of another.
What are common misspellings of "surrender"?
Common misspellings include "srurender", "ssurrender", "surender", "surernder", "surredner". The correct spelling is "surrender".
How do you pronounce "surrender"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "surrender" is /səˈɹɛndə(ɹ)/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "surrender"?
Etymology tree Middle English surrendren English surrender From Middle English surrendren, from Old French surrendre, from sur- + rendre (“render”). Displaced native Old English on hand gān. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “surrender”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-U-R-R-E-N-D-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /səˈɹɛndə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list