abolish

verb

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

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.
Currently 20 states have passed laws that would abolish clock changes if they are given permission to do so by the federal government. James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025 Athletic Bilbao’s Estadio de San Mamés was full of tears of joy from Tottenham fans clad in white and players alike at the full-time whistle as the team abolished the reputation for not finishing big matches. David Close, CNN Money, 22 May 2025 Restoring America's Fighting Force The Jan. 27 action abolishes DEI programs and initiatives in the military, long seen as a pioneer in America's push toward racial equality. Bill Chappell, NPR, 21 May 2025 Trump supported and opposed class-action lawsuits As Trump seeks to abolish nationwide injunctions, government lawyers have argued for and against the cases becoming class actions. Bart Jansen, USA Today, 18 May 2025 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 28 May. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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