ABNEGATION Synonyms: 18 Similar and Opposite Words

abnegation

noun

ˌab-ni-ˈgā-shən

Definition of abnegation

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

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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 That, for me, feels like an abnegation of our responsibility in theater. — Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026 In the latter’s rewrite of the Lancelot fable, the abducted Guinevere was elevated to a glamorous ice queen commanding knightly self-abnegation. — Tina Brown, New York Times, 15 Dec. 2022 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 See All Example Sentences for abnegation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abnegation

Noun

To Diana, who has taken over First Desk at the Park after last season’s events, River’s refusal to take bereavement leave gives her license to speak about his grandfather’s funeral arrangements with her usual cool formality.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
That refusal to chase the noise has shaped a career spanning four decades.

— Clayton Davis, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of refusal

Noun

This renunciation has had little impact on their progeny, who already studied them for years and viewed their content as a portrait of a viable future.

— Margaux MacColl, Vanity Fair, 11 Aug. 2026
Then, over the following years, came sustainability and strict reuse and ascetic renunciation, and today, finally, its photo series and articles advocated for a mild, slightly quirky anticapitalist metaphysics.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026

Definition of renunciation

Noun

Hamilton's denial follows a report Tuesday in Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera which said Hamilton had asked for changes to Ferrari's trackside staff and that his relationship with team principal Fred Vasseur was strained.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
About a third of mortgage denials for primary home purchases with conventional loans in 2025 were due to a lack of credit history, according to Zillow’s analysis of 2025 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data.

— Sarah Agostino, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of denial

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abnegating

abnegation

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“Abnegation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abnegation. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of abnegation

noun

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