as in refusal
the act or practice of giving up or rejecting something once enjoyed or desired the couple's sudden abnegation of life in the fast lane for work as missionaries stunned everyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 abnegation The life that Alharthi describes is one of almost saintly self-abnegation. Ron Charles, Washington Post, 24 May 2022 His naïve insolence punctures the vanities of other filmmakers while offering no alternative, and the movie that results is a joyless, confused self-abnegation. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2022 That abnegation of critical judgment is the most important feature of the 1994 statement. Michael Bérubé, The New Republic, 21 Mar. 2022 Where to go in a world where every slight, every frown, every chagrin, every cloud and every rainy day is a cause for outrage, denunciation, shame, self-abnegation and maybe even a congressional investigation or two? WSJ, 14 June 2021 See All Example Sentences for abnegation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abnegation
Noun
  • Despite Gallot’s refusal to romanticize his workplace — indeed, because of it — his devotion paradoxically shines through.
    Sadie Stein, New York Times, 15 May 2025
  • Meanwhile, the Swiss hosts may just be hoping that by their refusal to take sides, the contest goes off without too much controversy.
    Andrew Jones, NBC news, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • Saxon through acquisition; Piper through renunciation.
    January LaVoy Krish Seenivasan Ted Blaisdell, New York Times, 3 May 2025
  • The conclave takes place only in the event of the pope's death or renunciation for personal reasons.
    Terry Collins, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • From Denial to Delay: The PR Playbook The UCS report also outlines how corporate PR strategies evolved over time—from denial to delay.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
  • That revenue is simply written off because appealing denials is too slow, expensive, and broken to fix manually.
    William Jones, USA Today, 14 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abnegation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abnegation. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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!