Definition of ABOLITION

Examples of abolition in a Sentence

the abolition of a law
calls for the abolition of the death penalty

Recent Examples of abolition from the Web

The future of abolition would extend well beyond the delivery of his Proclamation.

— robert newhouse, Teen Vogue, "These Teens Are Working to End Modern Slavery," 20 July 2017
The viciousness of the crime upended notions of suburban security, delayed the abolition of Connecticut’s death penalty, and became the subject of TV shows, documentaries and books.

— Washington Post, "10 years later, shocking home invasion haunts a quiet suburb," 17 July 2017
In excerpts from the book that will accompany the film’s premiere, Gore ranks climate change among the great moral causes of our time — equating it with abolition, suffrage, and gay rights — a claim with more than a tad of self-serving interest.

— julie kelly, National Review, "Recycled Gore," 17 July 2017
The viciousness of the crime upended notions of suburban security, delayed the abolition of Connecticut’s death penalty, and became the subject of TV shows, documentaries and books.

— Washington Post, "10 years later, shocking home invasion haunts a quiet suburb," 17 July 2017
The viciousness of the crime upended notions of suburban security, delayed the abolition of Connecticut’s death penalty, and became the subject of TV shows, documentaries and books.

— dave collins, The Seattle Times, "10 years later, shocking home invasion haunts a quiet suburb," 16 July 2017
Horace Greeley’s New York Tribune, America’s largest paper by circulation and a standard-bearer for abolition, was banned in the city.

— paul starobin, Smithsonian, "What Did Independence Day Mean to Southerners About to Secede?," 4 July 2017
The struggles of Afro-Colombians didn’t end with abolition.

— lori s. robinson, The Root, "Fighting for Black Lives in Colombia: ‘The People Do Not Give Up, Damn It’," 1 July 2017
From within and without the halls of power, Hugo championed a range of social causes ranging from republicanism and freedom of the press to the abolition of the death penalty, and was exiled from France for his strident political views.

— ryan kilpatrick, Time, "A New Google Doodle Celebrates Iconic French Writer Victor Hugo," 29 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abolition.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of abolition

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1529

See Words from the same year

abolition Synonyms

Synonyms

abatement, abolishment, abrogation, annulment, avoidance, cancellation (also cancelation), defeasance, dissolution, invalidation, negation, nullification, quashing, repeal, rescindment, voiding

Near Antonyms

enactment, legislation; establishment, founding, institution; formalization, legalization, legitimation, legitimization, validation; passing, ratification; approval, authorization, clearance, endorsement (also indorsement), permission, sanctioning; commandment, decreeing, mandating, ordering, prescription

abolition