1
as in to relinquish
to give up (as a position of authority) formally
abnegated all claims to the deceased lord's domain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to renounce
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to)
felt that if the Congress adopted these security measures, it would be abnegating the nation's fundamental commitment to individual rights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abnegate
Her sins are the sins of loving too much and in too self-abnegating a fashion.
—
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2023
Abnegating this responsibility is going against the will of the people and we were voted in to protect the interests of the people.
—Jan Engoren, Sun-Sentinel.com, 6 July 2017
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2023
Abnegating this responsibility is going against the will of the people and we were voted in to protect the interests of the people.
—Jan Engoren, Sun-Sentinel.com, 6 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abnegate
Verb
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Yet, despite this military setback, the militia in Lebanon shows no intention of relinquishing its weapons.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
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Georgia Tech led 17-14 before the Wolfpack’s Cody Hardy scored his second touchdown of the first half, and NC State (5-4, 2-3) never relinquished the lead from there.—
Manny Navarro,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The revelations about the emails led to both Andrew and Sarah renouncing their Duke and Duchess of York titles in the past two weeks.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
28 Oct. 2025
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Comedian Bill Maher suggests New York City Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani should renounce his Ugandan dual citizenship over the country’s record on LGBTQ+ rights, and slams the democratic candidate for his recent meeting with a New York Imam, also criticized for his stance on gay rights.—
The Hill,
The Hill,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While initially very popular among his people, by 2013, multiple scandals — including romantic affairs, financial misappropriation and an infamous elephant hunting trip to Africa — led the King to abdicate and pass the throne to his youngest child and only son, King Felipe.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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The last time this protocol was used was when Edward VIII abdicated in 1936.—
Max Foster,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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After occupying Sinai, Britain and France succumbed to international pressure and withdrew their forces from Egypt in November.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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In 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics withdrew its guidance that said potential allergens should be avoided for high-risk babies, but didn’t have enough data to recommend introducing them early.—
Meg Tirrell,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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At least 10 prosecutors resigned in protest.—
Molly Ball,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
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Among the ideas floated for a third Trump term is for him to get elected as vice president and then have the president resign.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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De Blasio responded with shock, demanding The Times retract the story.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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The Democrat has since faced calls from Republicans to drop out of the state attorney general race, though many Democrats and his corporate donors have not retracted their support.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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His latest appeal was denied for review by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in May 2025, at which time Zellner announced her intent to file a petition in federal court, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Earlier this month, Ted Cruz said that more than 50,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009, a claim the Nigerian government denies.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abnegate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abnegate. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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