View synonyms for abandon

abandon

[ uh-ban-duhn ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

to leave completely and finally; forsake utterly; desert:
The crew finally abandoned the sinking ship and boarded a lifeboat.
He abandoned his wife and children, leaving them in poverty.
Antonyms: keep
to give up; withdraw from; discontinue:
She had to abandon the research project when the grant money dried up.
I’ve abandoned all hope of a stage career.
Antonyms: start, begin, continue
to give up the control of:
After a long struggle, they abandoned the city to the invading army.
Synonyms: abdicate, waive, resign, surrender, yield
Antonyms: retain
to yield (oneself) without restraint or moderation; give (oneself) over to natural impulses, usually without self-control:
After the breakup, he fell apart and abandoned himself to grief.
Law. to cast away, leave, or desert, as property or a child.
Insurance. to relinquish (insured property) to the underwriter in case of partial loss, thus enabling the insured to claim a total loss.
Obsolete. to banish.

noun

a complete surrender to natural impulses without restraint or moderation; freedom from inhibition:
During this retreat you will learn to play and dance with reckless abandon.

abandon

/ əˈbændən /

verb

to forsake completely; desert; leave behind
to abandon a baby
drivers had to abandon their cars
abandon ship
the order given to the crew of a ship that is about to sink to take to the lifeboats
to give up completely
to abandon a habit
to abandon hope
to yield control of or concern in; relinquish
to abandon office
to give up (something begun) before completion
the game was abandoned
to abandon a job
to surrender (oneself) to emotion without restraint
to give (insured property that has suffered partial loss or damage) to the insurers in order that a claim for a total loss may be made

noun

freedom from inhibitions, restraint, concern, or worry
she danced with abandon

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Derived Forms

aˈbandonment, noun

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Other Word Forms

a·ban·don·a·ble adjective
a·ban·don·er noun
a·ban·don·ment noun
un·a·ban·don·ing adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of abandon¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English verb abando(u)nen, from Middle French abandoner, from Old French (mettre) a bandon “(put) under (someone's) jurisdiction,” equivalent to a “at, to” (from Latin ad; ad- ) + bandon, from Germanic band (unrecorded); bond ¹; noun derivative of the verb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of abandon¹

C14: abandounen (vb), from Old French, from a bandon under one's control, in one's power, from a at, to + bandon control, power

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Synonym Study

See desert ². Abandon, relinquish, renounce mean to give up all concern in something. Abandon means to give up or discontinue any further interest in something because of discouragement, weariness, distaste, or the like: to abandon one's efforts. Relinquish implies being or feeling compelled to give up something one would prefer to keep: to relinquish a long-cherished desire. Renounce implies making (and perhaps formally stating) a voluntary decision to give something up: to renounce worldly pleasures.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Many of those in the high-rises are the elderly, in some cases abandoned by their fleeing children, but sometimes just too fragile to be moved.

From Los Angeles Times

According to the investigation's findings, the co-pilot "momentarily" sped up again before abandoning take-off.

From BBC

I also have an idea for the nearby Oakland Coliseum, which has been rudely abandoned by both the football Raiders and the baseball A’s.

From Los Angeles Times

But in the end, his idea was “too ambitious” at the time, he says, and Barbolla abandoned the idea.

From Los Angeles Times

These friendships were broken up by violence, censored in films or simply abandoned by women themselves in the face of the dominant patriarchal norms.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

abampere abandoned

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