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

Establishment of federal observers The key contribution of the Voting Rights Act that Americans are typically taught about in school is its abolition of racial discrimination in voting. —Allison Mashell Mitchell, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2026

The temperance, abolition, and civil-rights movements in America were all motivated in part by religious convictions. —Luis Parrales, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026

Such holidays are paid days off for court employees and decided well in advance, so their immediate abolition can’t happen overnight. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026

The Cypriot government has stated publicly that abolition wouldn't be on the table — at least for now. —ABC News, 24 Mar. 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