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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4

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 governor criticized Republicans in Washington and urged his supporters not to abandon the fight. Jim Talamonti, The Washington Examiner, 28 June 2025 Spanning his career from 1983 through 2018, the massive box set compiles a mix of eclectic material the Boss wrote and recorded but then abandoned. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 28 June 2025
Noun
So Jan duly uses it, replicating himself with carefree abandon. Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 23 May 2025 On the surface, the artist’s swirls, curls and modular shapes hit the eye with playful abandon. R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for abandon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abandon
Verb
  • Baker, 37, indulged them, starting out of her Fairfax, Calif., living room a finance club that eventually became her present-day financial education startup, Dow Janes — which boasts an Instagram following of nearly half a million.
    Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
  • But unfortunately, indulging too much in fried foods will trigger your cortisol.
    Audrey Noble, Vogue, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Others simply think that James will play out the final season on his contract and either leave for another team or retire next offseason.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 July 2025
  • Ionic technology, on the other hand, speeds up dry time and cuts frizz (especially helpful in humid weather) but can leave fine hair looking too sleek or limp if overused.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • Twenty-four flights have been canceled at DIA as of 4:30 p.m. A ground delay has been issued at DIA from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
    Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 8 July 2025
  • Here’s what should happen: If an accommodation provider cancels your reservation, which is what appeared to have happen, then Booking.com should have notified you as soon as possible — not three days before your trip.
    Christopher Elliott The Travel Troubleshooter, Sun Sentinel, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • Ford discontinued the Timberline after the 2024 model year.
    Mark Phelan, USA Today, 30 June 2025
  • Rates of patients who discontinued the drug due to side effects were high, ranging from 10% to 29% within different groups that took it.
    Annika Kim Constantino,Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • But that still didn’t make up for the abandonment felt by a town whose rhythms for generations revolved around regular papal visits.
    Dario Artale, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2025
  • Now 18, the Ethiopia native who was adopted by the Bevins in 2012 and filed for an emergency protective order earlier this month is seeking long-term protective orders against them over his allegations of abuse and abandonment.
    Lucas Aulbach, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
Verb
  • Octavia Graham, 52, surrendered herself to authorities June 30 following a warrant for her arrest.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 July 2025
  • However, he’s now surrendered four dingers over seven games since coming off the IL.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • The Blues featured a few Galaxy supporters in the group who weren’t going to forsake the then five-time MLS Cup winners for the league’s newest franchise.
    Josh Gross, Oc Register, 15 June 2025
  • The AfD, founded in 2013 on a promise to slash spending, close Germany’s borders, and forsake the European Union, had never earned such a powerful endorsement.
    Simon Shuster/Berlin, TIME, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • By April 8, plans for John Cale to produce had been scrapped.
    Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2025
  • And his beef with Trump—and those who empowered him to balloon the national debt while scrapping subsidies for Musk’s EV empire—is for now at least limitless.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 7 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Abandon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abandon. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on abandon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!