abdication
noun
ab·di·ca·tion
ˌab-di-ˈkā-shən 
plural abdications
: an act of abdicating: such as
a
: an act of giving up sovereign power or high office
The desire of King Edward VIII to marry divorced U.S. socialite Wallis Simpson led to the king's abdication in 1936, an event that also brought Harry, his father Prince Charles and his brother, Prince William, into the line of succession.—
Martha Ross
Martha RossFrom the advent of Alexander the Great, in 332 B.C., to the abdication of King Farouk, in 1952, the country was ruled without interruption by non-Egyptians.—Milton Viorst
Milton Viorst
b
: an act of abandoning or discarding a right, responsibility, etc.
an abdication of authority
The militants took the liberties of Europe as a sign of moral and political abdication.—Fouad Ajami
Fouad AjamiWhen the majority throws up its hands because the problems are too tough, that's simply an abdication of responsibility.—Michael S. Serrill
Michael S. SerrillExamples of abdication in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Millions went to the streets last week, alarmed by the abdication of congressional responsibilities, including declaring war.
—Doug McIntyre, Oc Register, 22 June 2025
The Supreme Court’s decision upholding a Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth is a tragic abdication of the judiciary’s responsibility to protect minorities.
—Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 22 June 2025
Voluntary abdication has a precedent in Belgium: King Philippe ascended the throne in 2013 at age 53 after his father, King Albert II, abdicated at 79 due to health concerns.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 18 June 2025
The two were considered outcasts, and Edward VII only met with his brother King George a few times after his abdication, briefly and without his wife.
—Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for abdication
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.
Doug McIntyre, Oc Register, 22 June 2025
The Supreme Court’s decision upholding a Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth is a tragic abdication of the judiciary’s responsibility to protect minorities.
—Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 22 June 2025
Voluntary abdication has a precedent in Belgium: King Philippe ascended the throne in 2013 at age 53 after his father, King Albert II, abdicated at 79 due to health concerns.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 18 June 2025
The two were considered outcasts, and Edward VII only met with his brother King George a few times after his abdication, briefly and without his wife.
—Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for abdication
Cite this Entry
“Abdication.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abdication. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share