abatement

noun

abate·​ment ə-ˈbāt-mənt 

1

: the act or process of reducing or otherwise abating something

abatement of pollution

: the state of being abated

a storm continuing without abatement [=without weakening]

2

: an amount abated

especially : a deduction from the full amount of a tax

… devised tax credits, refunds, and abatements to benefit private corporations …

—William Greider

Synonyms of abatement

• reduction
• deduction

Examples of abatement in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The City of Chattanooga’s affordable housing PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) was redesigned two years ago to directly connect the value of a property tax abatement to the actual expense of delivering affordable housing units. —Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

Boston’s assessing commissioner Nicholas Ariniello is bailing amid a lawsuit that claims the city is retaliating against commercial property owners that file abatements, as the mayor continues to shake up her administration. —Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 26 May 2026

The work will include removal of two underground storage tanks and asbestos removal and abatement. —Jennifer Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026

About seven months of interior demolition and abatement work preceded groundbreaking. —Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 20 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, from abatre "to abate" + -ment -ment

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing abatement

• tax abatement

Rhymes for abatement

• overstatement
• reinstatement
• understatement
• affreightment
• misstatement
• restatement
• statement

Kids Definition

abatement

noun

abate·​ment ə-ˈbāt-mənt 

1

: the act or process of abating : the state of being abated

2

: an amount abated (as from a tax)

Legal Definition

abatement

noun

abate·​ment ə-ˈbāt-mənt 

1

: the act or process of abating or the state of being abated

challenged the abatement of her bequest

abatement of a private nuisance by self-help

—W. L. Prosser and W. P. Keeton

2

: an amount abated : deduction

especially : a deduction from the full amount of a tax