abjectab‧ject /ˈæbdʒekt/ adjective 
an abject apology—abjectly adverb
WORD ORIGINabject
Origin:
1400-1500 Latin past participle of abicere, from ab- ‘away’ + jacere ‘to throw’EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- A central reason cited for the cutback was the abject failure of highly touted sports movies.
- Ice-cold, shocked, her stomach a tight knot of abject terror, Polly gazed wildly around her.
- In July 1583 he escaped to St Andrews, and set about destroying his tormentors or pardoning some in return for abject submission.
- In this situation, abject apologies in some respects remain complicit with the patronizing attitudes from which they attempt to disassociate themselves.
- The parasite has been nurtured by abject poverty, intermittent political chaos and, some charge, international indifference.
- Wealth was much more frequent than abject poverty.
- What these hopefuls achieved for their pleasure and pain was a violent lifestyle of abject poverty.
- When Margarett fell into abject depression days later, Shaw was prepared.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES The news plunged him into abject misery (=extreme unhappiness).
formal (=one that shows that you are very sorry)· The BBC issued an abject apology for insulting the Queen.
(=used to emphasize how bad a failure is)· The experiment was considered a dismal failure.
The news plunged him into abject misery (=extreme unhappiness). (=extremely severe)· He was shocked by the abject poverty that he saw.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· Its strategy was an abject failure on its own terms, for the Gaullists romped home in the June elections.· A central reason cited for the cutback was the abject failure of highly touted sports movies.· Its credibility has been severely damaged and its attempts to find a solution to the problem have resulted in abject failure.· The expedition was over, an abject failure.· On an emotional day like October 19, he could have made the difference between success and abject failure.· All his attempts to organize street parties, coach outings and singalongs in the local pubs ended in abject failure.
· But for some, who didn't get the grades they hoped for, there's abject misery.· For the first three years he endured abject misery.
· Many such families are living in abject poverty at home or as refugees abroad, cut off from family and friends.· The parasite has been nurtured by abject poverty, intermittent political chaos and, some charge, international indifference.· Wealth was much more frequent than abject poverty.· In a continent where economic successes are rare, authoritarianism may seem a lesser evil than abject poverty.· The Sisters also try never to reject anyone in abject poverty, the hungry or starving.· However, many people are living in abject poverty because of the poll tax.· He was born in abject poverty with a family history of madness, yet grew up to take the world by storm.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1abject poverty/misery/failure etc the state of being extremely poor, unhappy, unsuccessful etc2an abject action or expression shows that you feel very ashamed: - A central reason cited for the cutback was the abject failure of highly touted sports movies.
- But for some, who didn't get the grades they hoped for, there's abject misery.
- For the first three years he endured abject misery.
- Its strategy was an abject failure on its own terms, for the Gaullists romped home in the June elections.
- The parasite has been nurtured by abject poverty, intermittent political chaos and, some charge, international indifference.
- The Sisters also try never to reject anyone in abject poverty, the hungry or starving.
- Wealth was much more frequent than abject poverty.
- What these hopefuls achieved for their pleasure and pain was a violent lifestyle of abject poverty.
an abject apology—abjectly adverb