Resigned means accepting something unpleasant or disappointing because you realize you can't change it. When a student learns that summer vacation has been rained out, they might give a resigned sigh and pull out a board game instead of arguing about going to the beach. When you're resigned to something, you've stopped fighting against it, even though you wish things were different.

The feeling differs from being happy or optimistic about a situation. A resigned tone of voice sounds flat and tired, like when someone says, “I guess that's just how it is.” You might feel resigned about practicing piano when you'd rather play outside, or resigned to eating vegetables you don't particularly like because that's what's for dinner.

This feeling of acceptance often comes after you've tried to change something and realized you can't. A baseball team might feel resigned to losing after falling behind by ten runs in the final inning. They haven't stopped trying, but they've accepted what's probably going to happen.

The word can also mean quitting a job or position, usually formally. When people resign from a job, they officially announce they're leaving. A coach might resign after a difficult season, or a club president might resign to focus on schoolwork.