abject

adjective

ab·ject ˈab-ˌjekt How to pronounce abject (audio)

: sunk to or existing in a low state or condition : very bad or severe

living in abject poverty

to lowest pitch of abject fortune thou art fallen

John Milton

abject failure

: cast down in spirit : servile, spiritless

a man made abject by suffering

an abject coward

: showing hopelessness or resignation

abject surrender

: expressing or offered in a humble and often ingratiating spirit

abject flattery

an abject apology

abjectly

ˈab-ˌjek(t)-lē How to pronounce abject (audio)

ab-ˈjek(t)-

adverb

abjectness

ˈab-ˌjek(t)-nəs How to pronounce abject (audio)

ab-ˈjek(t)-

noun

Example Sentences

… the time would come that no human being should be humiliated or be made abject.

Katherine Anne Porter, The Never-Ending Wrong, 1977 … my critical intelligence sometimes shrivels to an abject nodding of the head.

Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, May 1971 … nothing seemed to have changed at the Beehive across the years. The same pallid employees were visible in the same abject state of peonage, cringing under the whiplash of overseers.

S. J. Perelman, Baby, It's Cold Inside, 1970 They live in abject misery. He offered an abject apology. She thought he was an abject coward. See More

Recent Examples on the Web What else is there to say when the team has been an abject disaster over the last decade?

Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2022 Steve McCraw, the head of Texas DPS, has called the police response an abject failure.

Jake Bleiberg And Paul J. Weber, Anchorage Daily News, 18 July 2022 That season wound up an abject disaster, as Perry threw three touchdowns with 12 interceptions, and USC won just three games.

Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2022 Steve McCraw, the head of Texas DPS, has called the police response an abject failure.

Jake Bleiberg And Paul J. Weber, Anchorage Daily News, 18 July 2022 Steve McCraw, the head of Texas DPS, has called the police response an abject failure.

Jake Bleiberg And Paul J. Weber, Anchorage Daily News, 18 July 2022 At the same time, there is ample evidence that online schooling and pandemic education have been an abject failure—especially for black students.

Nikki Johnson, WSJ, 8 Aug. 2022 There’s really no other way to put it: The response from law enforcement and politicians has been an abject failure through and through.

Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2022 Steve McCraw, the head of Texas DPS, has called the police response an abject failure.

Jake Bleiberg And Paul J. Weber, Anchorage Daily News, 18 July 2022 See More

abject

adjective

as in humble

showing, expressing, or offered in a spirit of humility or unseemly submissiveness demanded nothing less than an abject apology from them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

humble
servile
meek
slavish
menial
sheepish
base
hangdog
sycophantic
fawning
lamblike
lowly
unassuming
sycophant
modest
retiring
unpretentious
demure
toadyish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

supercilious
imperious
haughty
arrogant
superior
uppity
lordly
high-handed

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of abject are ignoble, mean, and sordid. While all these words mean "being below the normal standards of human decency and dignity," abject may imply degradation, debasement, or servility.

abject poverty

In some situations, the words ignoble and abject are roughly equivalent. However, ignoble suggests a loss or lack of some essential high quality of mind or spirit.

an ignoble scramble after material possessions

While in some cases nearly identical to abject, mean suggests small-mindedness, ill temper, or cupidity.

mean and petty satire

Although the words sordid and abject have much in common, sordid is stronger than all of these in stressing physical or spiritual degradation and abjectness.

a sordid story of murder and revenge

单词	abject
释义	abject adjective ab·ject ˈab-ˌjekt 1 : sunk to or existing in a low state or condition : very bad or severe living in abject poverty to lowest pitch of abject fortune thou art fallen John Milton abject failure 2 a : cast down in spirit : servile, spiritless a man made abject by suffering an abject coward b : showing hopelessness or resignation abject surrender 3 : expressing or offered in a humble and often ingratiating spirit abject flattery an abject apology abjectly ˈab-ˌjek(t)-lē ab-ˈjek(t)- adverb abjectness ˈab-ˌjek(t)-nəs ab-ˈjek(t)- noun Did you know? Abject comes from the Latin abjectus (meaning "downcast," "humble," or "sordid"), the past participle of the Latin verb abicere, meaning "to cast off." Its original meaning in English was "cast off" or "rejected," but it is now used to refer more broadly to things in a low state or condition. Abject shares with mean, ignoble, and sordid the sense of being below the normal standards of human decency and dignity. Synonyms base humble menial servile slavish See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences … the time would come that no human being should be humiliated or be made abject. Katherine Anne Porter, The Never-Ending Wrong, 1977 … my critical intelligence sometimes shrivels to an abject nodding of the head. Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, May 1971 … nothing seemed to have changed at the Beehive across the years. The same pallid employees were visible in the same abject state of peonage, cringing under the whiplash of overseers. S. J. Perelman, Baby, It's Cold Inside, 1970 They live in abject misery. He offered an abject apology. She thought he was an abject coward. See More Recent Examples on the Web What else is there to say when the team has been an abject disaster over the last decade? Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2022 Steve McCraw, the head of Texas DPS, has called the police response an abject failure. Jake Bleiberg And Paul J. Weber, Anchorage Daily News, 18 July 2022 That season wound up an abject disaster, as Perry threw three touchdowns with 12 interceptions, and USC won just three games. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2022 Steve McCraw, the head of Texas DPS, has called the police response an abject failure. Jake Bleiberg And Paul J. Weber, Anchorage Daily News, 18 July 2022 Steve McCraw, the head of Texas DPS, has called the police response an abject failure. Jake Bleiberg And Paul J. Weber, Anchorage Daily News, 18 July 2022 At the same time, there is ample evidence that online schooling and pandemic education have been an abject failure—especially for black students. Nikki Johnson, WSJ, 8 Aug. 2022 There’s really no other way to put it: The response from law enforcement and politicians has been an abject failure through and through. Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2022 Steve McCraw, the head of Texas DPS, has called the police response an abject failure. Jake Bleiberg And Paul J. Weber, Anchorage Daily News, 18 July 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English, "outcast, rejected, lowly," borrowed from Latin abjectus "downcast, humble, sordid," from past participle of abicere "to throw away, throw down, overcome, abandon," from ab- ab- + -icere, reduced form of jacere "to throw" — more at jet entry 3 First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Kids Definition abject adjective ab·ject ˈab-ˌjekt 1 : very bad or severe abject poverty 2 : low in spirit, strength, or hope an abject coward abject adjective as in humble showing, expressing, or offered in a spirit of humility or unseemly submissiveness demanded nothing less than an abject apology from them Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance humble servile meek slavish menial sheepish base hangdog sycophantic fawning lamblike lowly unassuming sycophant modest retiring unpretentious demure toadyish Antonyms & Near Antonyms supercilious imperious haughty arrogant superior uppity lordly high-handed See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of abject are ignoble, mean, and sordid. While all these words mean "being below the normal standards of human decency and dignity," abject may imply degradation, debasement, or servility. abject poverty In some situations, the words ignoble and abject are roughly equivalent. However, ignoble suggests a loss or lack of some essential high quality of mind or spirit. an ignoble scramble after material possessions While in some cases nearly identical to abject, mean suggests small-mindedness, ill temper, or cupidity. mean and petty satire Although the words sordid and abject have much in common, sordid is stronger than all of these in stressing physical or spiritual degradation and abjectness. a sordid story of murder and revenge
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abject

adjective

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Synonyms

Example Sentences

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adjective

adjective

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