surrender Surrender is the yielding up of a smaller estate by the owner thereof of the person entitled to the larger estate of reversion or remainder; on such surrender the lesser estate merges in the larger estate. Surrender may be express or implied. Surrender is to be distinguished from abandonment, the former is indicative of consent of resign in favour of the reversioner of giving up a right or thing to another by free will. Abandonment is not giving up to any particular person. A merger takes place when two estates are united in the hands of one, e.g., reversioner.