Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of abjure are forswear, recant, renounce, and retract. While all these words mean "to withdraw one's word or professed belief," abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath.

abjured the errors of his former faith

When would forswear be a good substitute for abjure?

In some situations, the words forswear and abjure are roughly equivalent. However, forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal.

I cannot forswear my principles

When is recant a more appropriate choice than abjure?

The synonyms recant and abjure are sometimes interchangeable, but recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught.

if they recant they will be spared

When can renounce be used instead of abjure?

Although the words renounce and abjure have much in common, renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown.

renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting

When could retract be used to replace abjure?

The words retract and abjure can be used in similar contexts, but retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation.

the newspaper had to retract the story

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 abjure Both President Trump and Attorney General–designate Pam Bondi are positioned to stop the lawfare, but only if the Democrats abjure their politicization of criminal justice. Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025 Trump issues foreign policy diktats by social media, abjuring international consultation and consensus, but the Biden administration itself announced export controls on technology to China without the agreement of U.S. partners. Richard Fontaine, Foreign Affairs, 20 Jan. 2025 The Abrahamic faiths conceive of God as an omniscient creator and generally abjure gambling as a result; one of the first laws passed by the Puritans in the Massachusetts Bay Colony banned the possession of cards, dice, or gaming tables. Idrees Kahloon, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024 Elite progressive educational institutions were unlikely to experience a radical moral epiphany the moment the Supreme Court made its ruling, and abjure their discriminatory impulses and racial fixations. The Editors, National Review, 8 Aug. 2023 See All Example Sentences for abjure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abjure
Verb
  • Advertisement Lee also renounced any concept of gender roles, longing for full social equality regardless of gender or race.
    Barry Levitt, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
  • On another, the Internal Revenue Code stands ready with its expatriation tax regime—potentially ensnaring not only those who voluntarily renounce their citizenship but also those whose citizenship is stripped away.
    Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • However, by sharing so much of Lisa's code, the interface practically demanded a pointing device, and the mouse was selected, even though Raskin had so carefully tried to avoid it.
    Cameron Kaiser, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
  • These writers will work under the latest Public Television Freelance Agreement, which the WGA East ratified in December after a lengthy and sometimes contentious negotiation cycle with PBS, narrowly avoiding a strike.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Duncan even contemplated mounting a third-party challenge to Trump as a No Labels candidate last year before withdrawing his name from consideration.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The Biden administration had weighed withdrawing antitrust immunity for the joint venture, which began in 2016.
    Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • That $71 billion deal helped provide the extra cash that permitted Lachlan’s brother and sisters to receive multiple billions of dollars for foregoing their right to share in Fox’s future control.
    Howard Homonoff, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Employees were given 14 calendar days to appeal the decisions and had to forego their severance agreements to fight the job loss.
    Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Twist the powertrain mode knob to Track, watch the digital dash retract itself to give you a cleaner view, then activate Launch mode via a console button, and prepare to have your sense of speed lightly warped.
    Sean Evans, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The idea is to use the simple, robust components highlighted in the study to build systems that can extend quickly, latch or grasp with precision, and retract reliably.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Alan Jackson, a lawyer for Joaquin, denied the charges.
    Luc Cohen, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • As press secretary, Jean-Pierre repeatedly denied reports regarding Biden’s mental fitness during his time in office.
    Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Abjure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abjure. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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