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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
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Our hope is that the Islamic Republic will relinquish power and transfer it to the people.—
Leila Fadel,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2026
-
China, historically the largest driver of the country’s overall trade deficit in goods, has relinquished its status in that regard.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This all comes after reports that Andrew is considering renouncing his spot in the line of succession in order to avoid jail time.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
3 Mar. 2026
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Even as her hard-line tactics have shown some success, Sheinbaum has not renounced the precepts of López Obrador, who, while retired, remains a revered and influential figure.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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RadarOnline is reporting that the King is set to abdicate in favor of his son, Prince William.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Responsibility cannot be lost; it can only be abdicated.—
Rich Harwood,
Twin Cities,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Canada and Mexico defended their trilateral trade agreement with the US following Washington’s threats to withdraw from the $2 trillion pact.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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Actor Issa Rae and author Louise Penny also withdrew from appearances while consultants such as musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming resigned.—
Steven Sloan,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Dotseth has been interim chief since 2024, when Chief Ernest Morales III was put on leave and then resigned from the department.—
Mara H. Gottfried,
Twin Cities,
9 Mar. 2026
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The committee was founded by Tim Ozinga, R-Mokena, who was state representative in the 37th House District before abruptly resigning in April 2024.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This time, the team started the excavator’s engine, retracted its boom to shift the weight, and tried lifting again.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Mar. 2026
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Other detractors have included Juliette Binoche, Andrea Bocelli and Doja Cat — though Doja Cat later retracted her comments and admitted to using the controversy to get attention.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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About ninety-eight per cent of building requests by Palestinians in the area are denied.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
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The case went to trial in 2023, and Pras was convicted on 10 charges; he was denied a retrial in 2024.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abnegate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abnegate. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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