abolition

noun

ab·​o·​li·​tion ˌa-bə-ˈli-shᵊn 

1

: the act of officially ending or stopping something : the act of abolishing something

abolition of the death penalty

2

: the act of officially ending slavery

a proponent of abolition

abolitionary

ˌa-bə-ˈli-shə-ˌner-ē 

-ˌne-rē

adjective

Synonyms of abolition

• repeal
• dissolution
• abolishment

Examples of abolition in a Sentence

the abolition of a law

calls for the abolition of the death penalty

Recent Examples on the Web

The story of slavery and its abolition is ultimately one of irrepressible human dignity. —Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026

Some philosophers and activists advocate for pet abolition, arguing that treating any animals as property is ethically indefensible. —Margret Grebowicz, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026

In 1986, during a summit meeting in Iceland, Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan surprised their staffs as well as the world by pledging the abolition of all nuclear weapons. —Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026

In the past year, their silence broken by the abolition of the police force, residents have started trading stories. —Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French abolition, borrowed from Latin abolitiōn-, abolitiō, from aboli-, variant stem of abolēre "to abolish" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for abolition

• acquisition
• admonition
• ammunition
• apparition
• apposition
• coalition
• competition
• composition
• definition
• deglutition
• demolition
• deposition

Kids Definition

abolition

noun

ab·​o·​li·​tion ˌab-ə-ˈlish-ən 

1

: the act of officially ending or stopping something : the act of abolishing

2

: the abolishing of slavery

abolitionary

-ˈlish-ə-ˌner-ē 

adjective