abolish

verb

abol·​ish ə-ˈbä-lish How to pronounce abolish (audio)
abolished; abolishing; abolishes
Synonyms of abolish

transitive verb

: to end the observance or effect of (something, such as a law) : to completely do away with (something) : annul
abolish a law
abolish slavery
abolishable adjective
abolisher noun
abolishment noun

Examples of abolish in a Sentence

He is in favor of abolishing the death penalty. the U.S. abolished slavery by constitutional amendment on December 6, 1865
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
For example, Gonzales wants to abolish the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 9 June 2026 Independent investigations into clergy abuse around the world have identified the seal of confession as a major impediment to exposing and preventing abuse, and called for it to be abolished. Suman Naishadham, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026 In its ruling, the court said Sunday that the 12 refugee seats could not be abolished through executive action and that any change would require a constitutional amendment by the Legislative Assembly. ABC News, 8 June 2026 The 1999 Gramm-Leach-Bliley act that abolished most New Deal-era limits on Wall Street institutions passed 90-8 and 362-57. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for abolish

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abolysshen, borrowed from Middle French aboliss-, stem of abolir "to abolish," borrowed from Latin abolēre "to destroy, efface, put an end to," perhaps formed from abolēscere "to shrivel up, be effaced, fall into disuse," from ab- ab- + -ol-, medial form of the base of alere "to nourish, bring up" + -ēsc-, inchoative suffix — more at old entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of abolish was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abolish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abolish. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

abolish

verb
abol·​ish ə-ˈbäl-ish How to pronounce abolish (audio)
: to do away with completely : put an end to
abolishable adjective
abolisher noun
abolishment noun

Legal Definition

abolish

transitive verb
abol·​ish
: to end the observance or effect of : annul

More from Merriam-Webster on abolish

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster