1
as in indulging
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
as in leaving
to cause to remain behind
abandoned the group that he had been hiking with and struck out on his own
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in canceling
to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to)
the bad weather forced NASA to abandon the launch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in discontinuing
to stop doing (something) permanently
marriage customs that were abandoned decades ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abandoning
Goodbye Amazon Go Amazon is abandoning its homegrown physical grocery stores, known as Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh, a humbling end to an effort that began almost ten years ago as the online giant sought to expand its retail dominance into the brick-and-mortar world.
—
Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
But the sudden thaw in relations with Washington has fueled suspicion among hard-line chavistas that Rodríguez is abandoning the movement’s deeply anti-American ideology.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Moving forward does not require abandoning immigration law.
—Jesus Ruiz, STAT, 27 Jan. 2026
As exciting as some of the AI bull cases are, most of them rely on humans suddenly abandoning all of their selfish instincts and deciding to work together.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2026
As agents approached, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias fled on foot—abandoning his child.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
As the clip continues, Herzog concludes the bird is heading toward certain death after abandoning the colony.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 26 Jan. 2026
Rather than abandoning values, Sesame Solar reframed them in terms that decision-makers were already used to hearing.
—Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Hours after her murder, Wilson encountered Ruiz and persuaded her to get into his vehicle under false pretenses, and then killed her before running her over multiple times and abandoning her body in a nearby field, per Gulf Coast News Now.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
But the sudden thaw in relations with Washington has fueled suspicion among hard-line chavistas that Rodríguez is abandoning the movement’s deeply anti-American ideology.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Moving forward does not require abandoning immigration law.
—Jesus Ruiz, STAT, 27 Jan. 2026
As exciting as some of the AI bull cases are, most of them rely on humans suddenly abandoning all of their selfish instincts and deciding to work together.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2026
As agents approached, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias fled on foot—abandoning his child.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
As the clip continues, Herzog concludes the bird is heading toward certain death after abandoning the colony.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 26 Jan. 2026
Rather than abandoning values, Sesame Solar reframed them in terms that decision-makers were already used to hearing.
—Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Hours after her murder, Wilson encountered Ruiz and persuaded her to get into his vehicle under false pretenses, and then killed her before running her over multiple times and abandoning her body in a nearby field, per Gulf Coast News Now.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abandoning
Verb
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The Animal Collective member’s first solo album is a personal, psychedelic trip indulging his fascination with the hurdy-gurdy.—
Zach Schonfeld,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Battambang province is Cambodia’s agricultural heartland and, aside from indulging at the local markets, one of the best ways to experience its culinary heritage is getting into the countryside.—
Vicky Smith,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens under the cover of darkness, essentially leaving the entirety of the franchise in the city.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Indian markets are under pressure across assets, with stocks, the rupee and bonds all weakening, leaving investors banking on the budget to reset sentiment.—
Ashutosh Joshi,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Weather contributes to several deaths across Indiana Parents on social media were divided on whether school districts made the right move in canceling.—
Heather Bushman,
IndyStar,
29 Jan. 2026
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Consider opting for these noise-canceling Beats, a brand that’s made the tastemaker’s list multiple times.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Earlier this month, the Office of the Provost sent a message to Division of Academic Affairs employees informing them that the university was discontinuing all telework agreements with workers, except those with accommodations.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Decades into the era of email and smart phones, San Diego County is discontinuing the use of antiquated desk phones and fax machines.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Lee was arrested after surrendering to authorities in December 2021.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
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One week earlier, Campbell had issues containing Chargers rushers, surrendering a sack and five pressures in the wild-card round.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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So why would Walter consider forsaking some of those substantial financial resources?—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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Its gentle without forsaking cleanliness, and leaves skin feeling softer after each use.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rocky strains to convey his evolution from scrapping on the streets of Harlem to luxuriating in wealthy, starstruck domestic bliss.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
19 Jan. 2026
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Lots of coaches are open to moving the portal window, and some are even OK with scrapping the modern version of spring practice for something more aligned with NFL’s OTAs (less contact, perhaps even later in the spring).—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After quitting football, Zator threw himself entirely into wrestling for his senior year.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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Some lifestyle changes support your heart health and help keep your heart working properly, such as eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising, and quitting tobacco.—
Vanessa Caceres,
Verywell Health,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abandoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abandoning. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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