1
as in to relinquish
to give up (as a position of authority) formally
abnegated all claims to the deceased lord's domain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to renounce
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to)
felt that if the Congress adopted these security measures, it would be abnegating the nation's fundamental commitment to individual rights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 abnegate
Her sins are the sins of loving too much and in too self-abnegating a fashion.
—
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2023
Abnegating this responsibility is going against the will of the people and we were voted in to protect the interests of the people.
—Jan Engoren, Sun-Sentinel.com, 6 July 2017
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2023
Abnegating this responsibility is going against the will of the people and we were voted in to protect the interests of the people.
—Jan Engoren, Sun-Sentinel.com, 6 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abnegate
Verb
-
In May 2025, Kraft Heinz announced a strategic review aimed at unlocking shareholder value, and Berkshire Hathaway relinquished its board seats, signaling potential structural changes.—
Joe Cornell,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Shortly after Rose took the helm at the pageant, both Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt and Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava relinquished their titles.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Eventually, however, Lowell’s ideas were discredited—Schiaparelli, once an ally, renounced them—and the world moved on.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.—
Karen Lema,
Reuters,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The federal government has functionally abdicated its role in keeping Americans safe from dangerous illness.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
5 Sep. 2025
-
This isn't about abdicating responsibility.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The reaction to this was dynamic, which for some meant withdrawing from opportunities and for others contributed to burnout and decisions to leave their jobs altogether.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
But Russia's prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, signed a decree proposed by the Cabinet on August 25 to withdraw from the convention, and Putin has now submitted this to the Duma, which is likely to rubber stamp it.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
At least three senior CDC leaders have resigned citing Kennedy's leadership and vaccine policy.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
-
In July, an AI company CEO and HR executive were forced to resign after being filmed cuddling on the kiss cam at a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts; both were married to other people.—
Heather Hunter,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Once at the top or bottom, the Marswalker retracts the bracers and opens its doors again so that the S2 can be on its way while the Marswalker waits for the return trip.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Similarly, although an extensive Danish study showed no link between aluminum in vaccines and ASD, Kennedy demanded that the Annals of Internal Medicine, a prestigious medical journal, retract the study.—
Judy Stone,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
All three Cabinet members denied wrongdoing.—
Robert Faturechi,
ProPublica,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Judge Gary Arnold denied the motion Thursday morning.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And not a single Democrat then contradicted them or criticized them.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The Republican president insisted that his tough talk didn't contradict his fixation on being recognized for diplomatic efforts, saying peace must be made from a position of strength.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abnegate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abnegate. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share