noun (law) A state in which it is not yet settled who owns a piece of land or a title.
- Ownership of the estate lay in abeyance while the lawyers searched for the rightful heir.
- With no clear owner, the title to the old farm fell into abeyance.
- The court left the land in abeyance until the family dispute was settled.
noun A temporary stop or pause; a dormant state.
- The project was held in abeyance until the budget was approved.
- Her travel plans remain in abeyance because of the storm.
- Their friendship stayed in abeyance during the busy year but soon came back to life.
- The proceeds of the estate shall be held in abeyance in an escrow account until the minor reaches age twenty-one.
- The palace had previously that the duke’s military appointments were in abeyance after he stepped down from public duties in 2019.
— Ben Quinn, Queen strips Prince Andrew of military roles and royal patronages (2022)
- The broad pennant of a commodore first class has been in abeyance since 1958, together with the rank.
noun (law) A state in which a noble title still exists but currently has no holder.
- The old title fell into abeyance when the baron died leaving two daughters.
- A title in abeyance has no holder until the claim is decided.
- The family hoped to end the abeyance of their ancestral title.
