abandon 1 of 2

1
as in to indulge
to give (oneself) over to something especially unrestrainedly more than ready to abandon himself to a life of complete idleness for the duration of his vacation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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abandon

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word abandon different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of abandon are relinquish, resign, surrender, waive, and yield. While all these words mean "to give up completely," abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up.

abandoned all hope

When might relinquish be a better fit than abandon?

While in some cases nearly identical to abandon, relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness.

relinquished her crown

When can resign be used instead of abandon?

The words resign and abandon can be used in similar contexts, but resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle.

resigned her position

When is it sensible to use surrender instead of abandon?

The words surrender and abandon are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist.

surrendered their claims

Where would waive be a reasonable alternative to abandon?

The meanings of waive and abandon largely overlap; however, waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion.

waived the right to a trial by jury

In what contexts can yield take the place of abandon?

In some situations, the words yield and abandon are roughly equivalent. However, yield implies concession or compliance or submission to force.

the troops yielded ground grudgingly

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of abandon
Verb
The timing of the official transfer lingers, and might even be abandoned because of the backlash, some of which came from Trump supporters in the US. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 16 May 2025 Those chains typically cater to lower and middle-income families looking for a sit-down meal, but diners are abandoning these companies as their disposable income shrinks because of inflation. Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
Noun
One such image, Labour Ward (2012), is a consideration of three female figures, lying on their sides, in various degrees of painful abandon. Emmanuel Iduma, ARTnews.com, 21 Feb. 2025 Despite often being the shortest player on the court, the 5-foot-11, 175-pound senior plays with reckless abandon. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 23 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for abandon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abandon
Verb
  • Parents can unwind with cocktails poolside or indulge at the spa while little ones immerse themselves in the SoBe Kids Club, designed for ages four to 12.
    Katie Lara, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
  • The Santa Monica pad existed mainly as the ultimate clubhouse, a place where Jimmy and a dozen or so regulars could indulge their obsession with padel.
    David T. Friendly, Air Mail, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • What's left is rosemary, a spice that many, many people already have in their kitchen, or maybe even growing like an angry weed in their backyard.
    Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 18 May 2025
  • What is left of the two helicopters — which were revealed to be Robinson R-44 models — have been sent to the city of Turku for investigation, according to the Estonia outlet.
    Bailey Richards, People.com, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • But this sort of work would require close collaboration with Chinese researchers, at just the time when those collaborations are being scrutinized or canceled.
    Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 May 2025
  • Panama's comptroller general and attorney general are now seeking to cancel CK Hutchison's concessions to its two Canal Zone ports.
    Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • It’s thought that freezing and discontinuing funding to the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) since January 24, may have already led to more than 4,800 child deaths.
    Niamh Rowe, Quartz, 8 May 2025
  • Officials in President Donald Trump's administration announced during a meeting on Monday at the EPA's Office of Atmospheric Protection that the office would be dissolved and the Energy Star program discontinued.
    Kate Nalepinski, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025
Noun
  • But what really makes Fan Service the OTP for book and reader is Danan’s deft hand with deeper traumas — here, predominantly abandonment and bullying.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 19 May 2025
  • Potential charges could include animal cruelty, abandonment, and neglect under Texas state law.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • In many prison camps, the lowest level of security in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), cell phones are so prevalent that those who recently surrender can have one within days of arriving on the compound.
    Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
  • The chilling exchange was part of a series of radio transmissions between Russian forces that Ukrainian officials say provide further evidence that Russian superiors are ordering soldiers to execute surrendering Ukrainian troops in violation of international law.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
Verb
  • Growing up in a home that didn’t assimilate or forsake its culture served Addy well as his fixation on fashion was intrinsic.
    Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Her misbegotten experiment was the culmination of a cycle of extreme policies set off by Britain’s decision to forsake the world’s largest trading bloc.
    Mark Landler, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But that idea gets scrapped not long after it’s introduced.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025
  • Some schools have scrapped lessons describing the U.S. as a nation of immigrants.
    Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 20 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Abandon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abandon. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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