abandon

1 of 2

verb

aban·don ə-ˈban-dən How to pronounce abandon (audio)

abandoned; abandoning; abandons

transitive verb

: to give up to the control or influence of another person or agent

: to give up with the intent of never again claiming a right or interest in

abandon property

: to withdraw from often in the face of danger or encroachment

abandon ship

soldiers forced to abandon their position

: to withdraw protection, support, or help from

he abandoned his family

: to give (oneself) over unrestrainedly

abandoned himself to a life of self-indulgence

: to cease from maintaining, practicing, or using

abandoned their native language

: to cease intending or attempting to perform

abandoned the escape

abandoner noun

abandon

2 of 2

noun

: a thorough yielding to natural impulses

especially : enthusiasm, exuberance

with reckless abandon

Did you know?

You may associate this word with the act of leaving and never returning, given the familiarity of the verb abandon. But the noun abandon, with its more pleasant connotations of freedom, is likely here to stay despite being a relative newcomer. It only entered the English language in the early 1800s, as a borrowing from French that goes back to an Old French word meaning “surrender.” (English had borrowed the verb abandon centuries before from the French speakers living in medieval England.) Louisa May Alcott recognized the word's utility; she used it of Jo in Little Women, writing that “when the writing fit came on, she gave herself up to it with entire abandon, and led a blissful life, unconscious of want, care, or bad weather ...”

Example Sentences

Verb They abandoned the car on a back road. That house was abandoned years ago. The approaching fire forced hundreds of people to abandon their homes. The officer refused to abandon his post. The policy abandons the most vulnerable members of society. She abandoned the party not long after the election. Noun added spices to the stew with complete abandon See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

His performance made his book a best-seller and spurred consumers to abandon the Corvair. —

James Ross Gardner, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2023 To avoid that scenario, Fed officials may need to abandon old ways of thinking, such as the Phillips Curve, which posits a tradeoff between unemployment and inflation. —

Quartz, 3 Feb. 2023 Medical schools, in response to the W.H.I., were quick to abandon menopausal education. —

Susan Dominus, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2023 However, urging them to abandon the use of fabrics like silk to truly become a vegan garment. —

Zizi Strater, Peoplemag, 1 Feb. 2023 Yet Blinken took the opportunity to encourage Netanyahu to abandon that policy. —

Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner, 30 Jan. 2023 Analysts point to what happened with North Korea, which had reached a 1994 deal with the U.S. to abandon its nuclear weapons program. —

Fox News, 27 Jan. 2023 The popping corks of New Year’s Eve may be a faint memory, but that’s no reason to abandon sparkling wines for another 11 months. —

oregonlive, 27 Jan. 2023 Even as the networks were starting to abandon the form, Bajaria kept finding ways to keep TV movies and miniseries relevant. —

Vulture, 26 Jan. 2023

Noun

Sixty years ago Art Nouveau came to be seen once again as excitingly rebellious by the proponents of a youthful counterculture who emphasized its joyous sensual abandon. —

Martin Filler, The New York Review of Books, 1 Dec. 2022 Powerful street gangs had seized control of parts of the country, trafficking drugs, extorting cash from small businesses and killing with such abandon that El Salvador ranked among the most murderous countries in the world. —

Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2022 An airline stewardess with a Pennsylvania Central aircraft glows in a classic white uniform with matching hat, showing the slow abandon of the dull colors common in the uniforms of the 1930s. —

Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2017 All the while, White earned a reputation for his bruising style and reckless abandon on the football field. —

Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2023 Mathurin was dynamite at all three levels, drilling 3-pointers, creating space for pull-up jumpers and, as always, careening down the lane with abandon on drives, finishing through contact and drawing fouls. —

Dustin Dopirak, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Jan. 2023 By dancing with abandon down the condiments aisle, Jack and Babette are savoring the simple pleasures of everyday errands, knowing that tomorrow isn't guaranteed. —

Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 30 Dec. 2022 Amidst this visual cacophony, the teen somersaults and pirouettes through the air with youthful, fleet-footed abandon, a stirring example of combat as characterization and a striking note of harmony between Ragnarök’s narrative and its gameplay. —

Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2022 During the Maidan protests, where riot police used batons and eventually bullets with deadly abandon, Ratushnyi and Reva had taken shelter together for one night inside the cathedral grounds, the friend recalled. —

John Leicester, ajc, 18 June 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English abandounen, borrowed from Anglo-French abanduner, derivative of abandun "surrender, abandonment," from the phrase a bandun "in one's power, at one's disposal," from a "at, to" (going back to Latin ad "to") + bandun "jurisdiction," going back to a Gallo-Romance derivative of Old Low Franconian *bann- "summons, command" (with -d- probably from outcomes of Germanic *bandwō "sign") — more at at entry 1, ban entry 1, banner entry 1

Noun

borrowed from French, in part derivative of abandonner "to abandon," in part going back to Old French abandon, abandun "surrender" — more at abandon entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1815, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

abandon

1 of 2 verb

aban·don ə-ˈban-dən How to pronounce abandon (audio)

: to give up completely

: to withdraw from often in the face of danger

abandon ship

: to withdraw protection, support, or help from

abandoned the dog

: to give oneself up to an emotion

abandoner noun

abandonment

-mənt

noun

abandon

2 of 2 noun

: a complete yielding to natural impulses

especially : enthusiasm sense 1, exuberance

Legal Definition

abandon

transitive verb

aban·don

: to give up with the intent of never again asserting or claiming an interest in (a right or property)

: to disassociate oneself from or forsake in spite of a duty or responsibility to

abandon one's child

: to renounce one's obligations and rights under

abandon a contract

: to fail purposely to bring to completion or fruition

abandon a crime

abandon a lawsuit

abandon 1 of 2

verb

as in to surrender

to give (oneself) over to something especially unrestrainedly more than ready to abandon himself to a life of complete idleness for the duration of his vacation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

surrender
indulge
overdo
yield
revel
deliver
give up
overindulge
wallow
bask
luxuriate
roll

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

deny
forego
forgo
refrain (from)
restrain
eschew
inhibit
check
forbear
abstain (from)

as in to leave

to cause to remain behind abandoned the group that he had been hiking with and struck out on his own

Synonyms & Similar Words

leave
forsake
strand
dump
desert
quit
jettison
ditch
discard
relinquish
maroon
scrap
walk away from
fling
renounce
escape
ignore
shed
reject
abjure
junk
sacrifice
surrender
vacate
disown
walk out on
throw away
repudiate
forget
disregard
cut off
neglect
throw out
give up
yield
hand over
deliver
distance
shuck (off)
withdraw (from)
retreat (from)
separate (from)
take off (from)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

have
retain
withhold
keep
hold
own
possess
reclaim
save
reserve
redeem
rescue
harbor

as in to cancel

to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to) the bad weather forced NASA to abandon the launch

Synonyms & Similar Words

cancel
scrap
abort
revoke
repeal
rescind
withdraw
terminate
suspend
recall
discontinue
call off
drop
halt
scrub
invalidate
call
reverse
cry off
stop
relinquish
abrogate
retract
nullify
recant
annul
end
interrupt
void
surrender
take back
roll back
write off
countermand
break off
hold back
give up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

continue
keep
engage
begin
start
initiate
undertake
promise
pledge
take up
commence
take on

as in to discontinue

to stop doing (something) permanently marriage customs that were abandoned decades ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

discontinue
quit
drop
cease
end
finish
conclude
give up
halt
knock off
close
lay off (of)
pause
hang it up
pack (up or in)
terminate
have done (with)
shut off
expire
break off
leave off
taper off
break up
wrap up
throw up
wind up
round (off or out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

continue
maintain
keep
go
keep up
persist
persevere
renew
hang on
hold on
hang in
preserve
begin
restart
reopen
stay
start
carry on
resume
run on
commence
follow through (with)

abandon

2 of 2

noun

as in abandonment

carefree freedom from constraint added spices to the stew with complete abandon

Synonyms & Similar Words

abandonment
naturalness
zeal
unconstraint
unrestraint
spontaneity
enthusiasm
spontaneousness
ease
warmth
spirit
lightheartedness
uninhibitedness
fervor
recklessness
exuberance
carelessness
zealousness
zealotry
impulsiveness
insouciance
free hand
indiscretion
excess
ardor
impulsivity
heedlessness
offhandedness
thoughtlessness
wildness
excessiveness
carte blanche
casualness
licentiousness
indulgence
wantonness
blank check
incontinence
immoderacy
intemperance
permissiveness
unself-consciousness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

restraint
reserve
constraint
reticence
embarrassment
suppression
inhibition
discretion
uneasiness
discipline
repression
carefulness
willpower
heedfulness
discreetness
self-restraint
self-consciousness
self-discipline
self-command
self-control
self-denial
self-mastery

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of abandon are relinquish, resign, surrender, waive, and yield. While all these words mean "to give up completely," abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up.

abandoned all hope

While in some cases nearly identical to abandon, relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness.

relinquished her crown

The words resign and abandon can be used in similar contexts, but resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle.

resigned her position

The words surrender and abandon are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist.

surrendered their claims

The meanings of waive and abandon largely overlap; however, waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion.

waived the right to a trial by jury

In some situations, the words yield and abandon are roughly equivalent. However, yield implies concession or compliance or submission to force.

the troops yielded ground grudgingly

单词	abandon
释义	abandon 1 of 2 verb aban·don ə-ˈban-dən abandoned; abandoning; abandons transitive verb 1 a : to give up to the control or influence of another person or agent b : to give up with the intent of never again claiming a right or interest in abandon property 2 : to withdraw from often in the face of danger or encroachment abandon ship soldiers forced to abandon their position 3 : to withdraw protection, support, or help from he abandoned his family 4 : to give (oneself) over unrestrainedly abandoned himself to a life of self-indulgence 5 a : to cease from maintaining, practicing, or using abandoned their native language b : to cease intending or attempting to perform abandoned the escape abandoner noun abandon 2 of 2 noun : a thorough yielding to natural impulses especially : enthusiasm, exuberance with reckless abandon Did you know? You may associate this word with the act of leaving and never returning, given the familiarity of the verb abandon. But the noun abandon, with its more pleasant connotations of freedom, is likely here to stay despite being a relative newcomer. It only entered the English language in the early 1800s, as a borrowing from French that goes back to an Old French word meaning “surrender.” (English had borrowed the verb abandon centuries before from the French speakers living in medieval England.) Louisa May Alcott recognized the word's utility; she used it of Jo in Little Women, writing that “when the writing fit came on, she gave herself up to it with entire abandon, and led a blissful life, unconscious of want, care, or bad weather ...” Synonyms Verb deliver give up indulge surrender yield Noun abandonment ease lightheartedness naturalness spontaneity spontaneousness unconstraint uninhibitedness unrestraint See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Verb They abandoned the car on a back road. That house was abandoned years ago. The approaching fire forced hundreds of people to abandon their homes. The officer refused to abandon his post. The policy abandons the most vulnerable members of society. She abandoned the party not long after the election. Noun added spices to the stew with complete abandon See More Recent Examples on the Web Verb His performance made his book a best-seller and spurred consumers to abandon the Corvair. —James Ross Gardner, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2023 To avoid that scenario, Fed officials may need to abandon old ways of thinking, such as the Phillips Curve, which posits a tradeoff between unemployment and inflation. —Quartz, 3 Feb. 2023 Medical schools, in response to the W.H.I., were quick to abandon menopausal education. —Susan Dominus, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2023 However, urging them to abandon the use of fabrics like silk to truly become a vegan garment. —Zizi Strater, Peoplemag, 1 Feb. 2023 Yet Blinken took the opportunity to encourage Netanyahu to abandon that policy. —Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner, 30 Jan. 2023 Analysts point to what happened with North Korea, which had reached a 1994 deal with the U.S. to abandon its nuclear weapons program. —Fox News, 27 Jan. 2023 The popping corks of New Year’s Eve may be a faint memory, but that’s no reason to abandon sparkling wines for another 11 months. —oregonlive, 27 Jan. 2023 Even as the networks were starting to abandon the form, Bajaria kept finding ways to keep TV movies and miniseries relevant. —Vulture, 26 Jan. 2023 Noun Sixty years ago Art Nouveau came to be seen once again as excitingly rebellious by the proponents of a youthful counterculture who emphasized its joyous sensual abandon. —Martin Filler, The New York Review of Books, 1 Dec. 2022 Powerful street gangs had seized control of parts of the country, trafficking drugs, extorting cash from small businesses and killing with such abandon that El Salvador ranked among the most murderous countries in the world. —Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2022 An airline stewardess with a Pennsylvania Central aircraft glows in a classic white uniform with matching hat, showing the slow abandon of the dull colors common in the uniforms of the 1930s. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2017 All the while, White earned a reputation for his bruising style and reckless abandon on the football field. —Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2023 Mathurin was dynamite at all three levels, drilling 3-pointers, creating space for pull-up jumpers and, as always, careening down the lane with abandon on drives, finishing through contact and drawing fouls. —Dustin Dopirak, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Jan. 2023 By dancing with abandon down the condiments aisle, Jack and Babette are savoring the simple pleasures of everyday errands, knowing that tomorrow isn't guaranteed. —Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 30 Dec. 2022 Amidst this visual cacophony, the teen somersaults and pirouettes through the air with youthful, fleet-footed abandon, a stirring example of combat as characterization and a striking note of harmony between Ragnarök’s narrative and its gameplay. —Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2022 During the Maidan protests, where riot police used batons and eventually bullets with deadly abandon, Ratushnyi and Reva had taken shelter together for one night inside the cathedral grounds, the friend recalled. —John Leicester, ajc, 18 June 2022 See More Word History Etymology Verb Middle English abandounen, borrowed from Anglo-French abanduner, derivative of abandun "surrender, abandonment," from the phrase a bandun "in one's power, at one's disposal," from a "at, to" (going back to Latin ad "to") + bandun "jurisdiction," going back to a Gallo-Romance derivative of Old Low Franconian bann- "summons, command" (with -d-* probably from outcomes of Germanic bandwō "sign") — more at at entry 1, ban entry 1, banner entry 1 Noun borrowed from French, in part derivative of abandonner* "to abandon," in part going back to Old French abandon, abandun "surrender" — more at abandon entry 1 First Known Use Verb 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Noun 1815, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing abandon abandon/drop all pretense at with reckless abandon abandon oneself to abandon/drop all pretense at with reckless abandon abandon oneself to Kids Definition abandon 1 of 2 verb aban·don ə-ˈban-dən 1 : to give up completely 2 : to withdraw from often in the face of danger abandon ship 3 : to withdraw protection, support, or help from abandoned the dog 4 : to give oneself up to an emotion abandoner noun abandonment -mənt noun abandon 2 of 2 noun : a complete yielding to natural impulses especially : enthusiasm sense 1, exuberance Legal Definition abandon transitive verb aban·don 1 : to give up with the intent of never again asserting or claiming an interest in (a right or property) 2 : to disassociate oneself from or forsake in spite of a duty or responsibility to abandon one's child 3 : to renounce one's obligations and rights under abandon a contract 4 : to fail purposely to bring to completion or fruition abandon a crime abandon a lawsuit abandon 1 of 2 verb 1 as in to surrender to give (oneself) over to something especially unrestrainedly more than ready to abandon himself to a life of complete idleness for the duration of his vacation Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance surrender indulge overdo yield revel deliver give up overindulge wallow bask luxuriate roll Antonyms & Near Antonyms deny forego forgo refrain (from) restrain eschew inhibit check forbear abstain (from) See More 2 as in to leave to cause to remain behind abandoned the group that he had been hiking with and struck out on his own Synonyms & Similar Words leave forsake strand dump desert quit jettison ditch discard relinquish maroon scrap walk away from fling renounce escape ignore shed reject abjure junk sacrifice surrender vacate disown walk out on throw away repudiate forget disregard cut off neglect throw out give up yield hand over deliver distance shuck (off) withdraw (from) retreat (from) separate (from) take off (from) Antonyms & Near Antonyms have retain withhold keep hold own possess reclaim save reserve redeem rescue harbor See More 3 as in to cancel to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to) the bad weather forced NASA to abandon the launch Synonyms & Similar Words cancel scrap abort revoke repeal rescind withdraw terminate suspend recall discontinue call off drop halt scrub invalidate call reverse cry off stop relinquish abrogate retract nullify recant annul end interrupt void surrender take back roll back write off countermand break off hold back give up Antonyms & Near Antonyms continue keep engage begin start initiate undertake promise pledge take up commence take on See More 4 as in to discontinue to stop doing (something) permanently marriage customs that were abandoned decades ago Synonyms & Similar Words discontinue quit drop cease end finish conclude give up halt knock off close lay off (of) pause hang it up pack (up or in) terminate have done (with) shut off expire break off leave off taper off break up wrap up throw up wind up round (off or out) Antonyms & Near Antonyms continue maintain keep go keep up persist persevere renew hang on hold on hang in preserve begin restart reopen stay start carry on resume run on commence follow through (with) See More abandon 2 of 2 noun as in abandonment carefree freedom from constraint added spices to the stew with complete abandon Synonyms & Similar Words abandonment naturalness zeal unconstraint unrestraint spontaneity enthusiasm spontaneousness ease warmth spirit lightheartedness uninhibitedness fervor recklessness exuberance carelessness zealousness zealotry impulsiveness insouciance free hand indiscretion excess ardor impulsivity heedlessness offhandedness thoughtlessness wildness excessiveness carte blanche casualness licentiousness indulgence wantonness blank check incontinence immoderacy intemperance permissiveness unself-consciousness Antonyms & Near Antonyms restraint reserve constraint reticence embarrassment suppression inhibition discretion uneasiness discipline repression carefulness willpower heedfulness discreetness self-restraint self-consciousness self-discipline self-command self-control self-denial self-mastery See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of abandon are relinquish, resign, surrender, waive, and yield. While all these words mean "to give up completely," abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up. abandoned all hope While in some cases nearly identical to abandon, relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness. relinquished her crown The words resign and abandon can be used in similar contexts, but resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle. resigned her position The words surrender and abandon are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist. surrendered their claims The meanings of waive and abandon largely overlap; however, waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion. waived the right to a trial by jury In some situations, the words yield and abandon are roughly equivalent. However, yield implies concession or compliance or submission to force. the troops yielded ground grudgingly
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abandon

verb

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing abandon

Kids Definition

Legal Definition

verb

noun

Synonym Chooser