abandonment

noun

aban·​don·​ment ə-ˈban-dən-mənt 

1

: the act of abandoning something or someone

the abandonment of a child/home

2

: the state of being abandoned

fear of abandonment

The opulence of her life as an expat wife failed to soothe her feelings of abandonment, boredom and oppression.

—Bob Shacochis

—sometimes used before another noun

abandonment issues

Synonyms of abandonment

• abandon
• naturalness

Examples of abandonment in a Sentence

sang at the top of her lungs with complete abandonment in the shower

the law says abandonment by the owner of any building for more than a year entitles the city to sell it

the park commissioner cited cost considerations as the main reason for the project's abandonment

Recent Examples on the Web

But catastrophes also tend to reveal deficits in society, and the patterns of destruction and abandonment that followed the fire—which have roots in America’s past and its present—tell us something about the country’s future, too. —Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025

An abandonment of the best version of Chicago’s offense. —Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025

The documentary explores that moment as both a turning point in the investigation and a look at Wuornos’ history of abuse and abandonment — and the longing for connection that runs through her story. —Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025

Raskin said the focus on the group was an abandonment of the program’s goals. —Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 9 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing abandonment

• self-abandonment

Legal Definition

abandonment

noun

aban·​don·​ment

1

: the act of abandoning property or a right: as

a

: relinquishment by an inventor of the right to enforce a patent see also dedication

b

: an author's relinquishment to the public domain of his or her copyrighted work

c

: relinquishment of a trademark established by a failure to use the trademark and an intention never to resume use

d

: the act of an insured in surrendering all rights to damaged or lost property to an insurer as a total loss compare salvage sense 2b

e

: relinquishment by a trustee in bankruptcy of interest in property in the bankruptcy estate often for a nominal sum

2

: the act of abandoning a person: as

a

: failure to have contact with a spouse that is intended to create a permanent separation

b

: failure to communicate with or provide financial support for one's child over a period of time that shows a purpose to forgo parental duties and rights

3

: the act of abandoning a contract

4

a

: the act of abandoning a course of action (as a crime)

b

: the affirmative defense (as recognized under the Model Penal Code) of voluntary withdrawal from the commission of a crime resulting from the actor's change of heart and not from intervening circumstances