abandon 1 of 2

1
as in to indulge
to give (oneself) over to something especially unrestrainedly more than ready to abandon himself to a life of complete idleness for the duration of his vacation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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abandon

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word abandon different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of abandon are relinquish, resign, surrender, waive, and yield. While all these words mean "to give up completely," abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up.

abandoned all hope

When might relinquish be a better fit than abandon?

While in some cases nearly identical to abandon, relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness.

relinquished her crown

When can resign be used instead of abandon?

The words resign and abandon can be used in similar contexts, but resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle.

resigned her position

When is it sensible to use surrender instead of abandon?

The words surrender and abandon are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist.

surrendered their claims

Where would waive be a reasonable alternative to abandon?

The meanings of waive and abandon largely overlap; however, waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion.

waived the right to a trial by jury

In what contexts can yield take the place of abandon?

In some situations, the words yield and abandon are roughly equivalent. However, yield implies concession or compliance or submission to force.

the troops yielded ground grudgingly

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of abandon
Verb
Teams will have to contend with the fact that Kepler has posted a below-average OPS in three of the past four seasons, and his once-strong plate discipline has abandoned him. Tim Britton, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025 Sang is one of the thousands of unwanted and marginalized children abandoned by American soldiers after the Vietnam War. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2025
Noun
That sense of giddy creative abandon was palpable throughout. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 16 Dec. 2024 Express yourself with wild abandon while the sun opposes Uranus. USA TODAY, 16 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for abandon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abandon
Verb
  • The national community could be knit together without indulging the chauvinism of belligerence.
    Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
  • And sure, while indulging ourselves with a $400 tin of caviar isn’t exactly akin to buying a tube of lipstick for most of us, the sentiment is valid.
    Allyson Reedy, The Denver Post, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The heat will melt the wax and transfer it to the paper towels, leaving your carpet clean.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2025
  • However, another franchise mark is much more in the crosshairs for Werenski: His two assists on Saturday put him at 256 in his career, leaving him only two short of matching Rick Nash’s franchise record with the Blue Jackets.
    Aaron Portzline, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Nebraska coach Matt Rhule’s concerns about players being poached and Texas’ and USC’s decisions recently to cancel their spring games for different reasons have sparked discussion about the value of spring games and what role spring practice still has.
    Sam Khan Jr., The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
  • The 1975’s set was cut short and the Malaysian government canceled the rest of the festival.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The item was discontinued 2016, but some restaurants continued to offer it until 2020 when it was taken off the menu to simplify McDonald's offerings during the COVID-19 pandemic, the outlet said.
    Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025
  • And, perhaps ironically, the penny's value could increase if its discontinued.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 11 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • From a geostrategic perspective, Trump’s abandonment of the FCPA is a disastrous decision.
    Richard Nephew, Foreign Affairs, 24 Feb. 2025
  • This second abandonment compounds the damage to U.S. credibility and standing caused by the first.
    Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Image The Cement Garden By Ian McEwan The premise alone is goose bumps grim: After the death of their mother, four children decide to hide her body in a trunk of cement in their basement and fend for themselves rather than surrender to social workers and foster care.
    M.L. Rio, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
  • The right-hander tossed three scoreless innings later that evening against the Boston Red Sox, allowing three hits while striking out four and surrendering no walks to earn the save and help the White Sox snap a 14-game losing streak.
    LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • But our research also shows that economic incentives or sanctions that aim to compel Palestinians (or Israelis) to forsake their core values backfire for the population as a whole, increasing resistance to peace deals and support for violence.
    Scott Atran, Foreign Affairs, 14 Feb. 2025
  • The problem, not to put too fine a point on it, is that The Brutalist forsakes tonal subtlety for a full plunge into Southern or Mid-Atlantic Gothic, with the Van Burens becoming almost literally vampiric.
    Anthony Paletta, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • If this sounds familiar, that’s because a live-action Dungeons & Dragons series was originally plotted at Paramount+ in January 2023, before ultimately being scrapped in May of the following year.
    Andy Swift, TVLine, 13 Feb. 2025
  • The Lincoln one-cent coin could be scrapped, with Trump ordering the Treasury Department and U.S. Mint to stop producing the coins.
    Russ Wiles, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Abandon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abandon. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.

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