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

The legislation would also open up $100,000 in grant funding to cover the cost of operation and maintenance of a water system if that town is in the midst of applying for abandonment. —Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026

Pettit was charged with six counts of cruelty to animals, six counts of confinement of abandonment of animals, three counts of keeping venomous reptiles without a permit and one count of unsafe maintenance of captive wild animals, according to the release. —Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026

What often strikes Westerners about Kabuki is the utter abandonment of any attempt to portray reality, as things might appear on the surface, or how people might behave naturally. —ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026

Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan said threats and harassment were partially to blame for the City Council’s abandonment of plans to create a homeless shelter near the trendy SoDo neighborhood last year. —Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026

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