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 Italian supreme court’s abolition of 2024 restrictions on citizenship by descent means American families who’d been torn apart by the new legislation can now be reunited. — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026

Understanding Caribbean history For Bousquet, the debate over reparations remains tied to how the Caribbean understands its own history, including slavery’s abolition and emancipation. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2026

Reparations are an essential part of my political imagination, and they are closely linked to my desire for abolition. — Literary Hub, 27 July 2026

Amendment, the abolition of slavery, and argued that loopholes led to today’s mass incarceration of Black Americans. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 21 July 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