1
as in repealing
to put an end to by formal action
the U.S. abolished slavery by constitutional amendment on December 6, 1865
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in eradicating
to destroy all traces of
if only there were a way that we could abolish hatred and intolerance
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of abolishing
Trump has urged Republicans to have a simple majority to approve legislation, whether through reconciliation or by abolishing the Senate filibuster.
—
Bart Jansen, USA Today, 27 Dec. 2025
In the ancient Mauryan Empire in India, Ashoka may also have temporarily reduced slavery by abolishing slave trading, but this change too was not permanent.
—Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
The sizable disparity has led economists—when such proposals were previously made—to question whether tariffs could come close to offsetting the fiscal impacts of abolishing income tax while still allowing the government to pare down the national debt.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Both Biss and Abughazaleh support abolishing ICE, and the winner of their primary will be heavily favored to hold a seat whose voters backed Kamala Harris by 37 points last year.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 24 Sep. 2025
That could lead to more push back from the public, guilds, unions and other entities that might aggressively fight against the idea of abolishing the station cap.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025
Whereas opposition parties favored cutting or abolishing it, the ruling coalition of the LDP and Komeito—concerned that such a move would spook financial markets—instead offered one-time cash payments of roughly $140 per person to defray the cost of living.
—Mireya Solís, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
Where it’s offered In 2023, Illinois became the first state to eliminate cash bail when the state Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law abolishing it.
—Melissa Goldin, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
Actually abolishing the department will require action from Congress, but the effort could have major implications for everything from universities’ federal funding to college students applying for loans to pay for their education.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2025
Bart Jansen, USA Today, 27 Dec. 2025
In the ancient Mauryan Empire in India, Ashoka may also have temporarily reduced slavery by abolishing slave trading, but this change too was not permanent.
—Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
The sizable disparity has led economists—when such proposals were previously made—to question whether tariffs could come close to offsetting the fiscal impacts of abolishing income tax while still allowing the government to pare down the national debt.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Both Biss and Abughazaleh support abolishing ICE, and the winner of their primary will be heavily favored to hold a seat whose voters backed Kamala Harris by 37 points last year.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 24 Sep. 2025
That could lead to more push back from the public, guilds, unions and other entities that might aggressively fight against the idea of abolishing the station cap.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025
Whereas opposition parties favored cutting or abolishing it, the ruling coalition of the LDP and Komeito—concerned that such a move would spook financial markets—instead offered one-time cash payments of roughly $140 per person to defray the cost of living.
—Mireya Solís, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
Where it’s offered In 2023, Illinois became the first state to eliminate cash bail when the state Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law abolishing it.
—Melissa Goldin, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
Actually abolishing the department will require action from Congress, but the effort could have major implications for everything from universities’ federal funding to college students applying for loans to pay for their education.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abolishing
Verb
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In his opening moves as mayor, Mamdani signed executive orders dealing with housing and one repealing all of former Mayor Eric Adams’s executive orders signed after his indictment on corruption charges in September 2024.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Jan. 2026
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Third, negotiators must start by repealing the Gainful Employment Rule, especially since the OBBBA will replace it with the earnings premium.—
Bob Carey,
Boston Herald,
20 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Global health officials are aiming to replicate the success of eradicating smallpox, which in 1980 became the first disease to be eliminated through human efforts.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
8 Dec. 2025
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These materials conform precisely to the shape of your unique foot, eradicating extra space in your boots.—
Sergei Poljak,
Outside,
16 Nov. 2025
Verb
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From a portable power bank to keep your phone charged to noise-canceling headphones that will drown out stressful sounds, these travel accessories will help nervous fliers and frequent travelers alike have easier journeys.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
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But in Japan, there’s no legal recourse and canceling a location shoot with short notice is an accepted part of the culture.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
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But the stock plummeted in the fourth quarter, more than erasing those earlier gains, as Wall Street became more skeptical of the company's ability to repay debts while delivering on AI.—
Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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By the 1960s, gas flares and untreated waste spillage were destroying their forests.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
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And there is a risk of the parasites becoming dormant for years before reactivating and destroying a new cornea.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abolishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abolishing. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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