abandon

42 synonyms and 23 antonyms for abandon, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To leave someone or something behind for good, especially when you have a duty to stay.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

desert drop quit

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

ditch cease renounce resign retire surrender yield

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

abdicate abjure blin cast aside cede deliver up depart from desist from discontinue dispense with forgo forlet forsake give up forswear jilt leave behind part with recant relinquish repudiate retract run out on vacate withdraw from waive withsake beleave bug out wantonness unconstraint wildness

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To leave someone or something behind for good, especially when you have a duty to stay.

“It is cruel to abandon a pet just because you are moving house.”

ditch abdicate abjure blin cast aside cease cede deliver up depart from desist from desert discontinue dispense with drop forgo forlet forsake give up forswear jilt leave behind part with quit recant relinquish repudiate renounce resign retire retract run out on surrender vacate withdraw from waive withsake yield beleave bug out

Opposites

acquire adopt arrogate advocate cherish claim defend embrace engage gain hold join keep maintain occupy protect retain undertake unite uphold vindicate hold the fort stand one's ground

2. noun

Total freedom from restraint or inhibition, especially in the phrase "with abandon".

“The children splashed through the puddles with joyful abandon.”

wantonness unconstraint wildness

How to use abandon

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

abandon ship abandon hope with reckless abandon abandon a plan

Etymology

From Old French abandoner, built from a ("to") and bandon ("control, jurisdiction"), so originally "to hand over to someone else's control" — which shifted to mean giving something up entirely.

Full origin of abandon →

Frequently asked questions

What does “abandon” mean?

The word “abandon” means to leave someone or something behind for good, especially when you have a duty to stay. In plain terms, to leave behind or give up on something or someone completely.

How do you pronounce “abandon”?

“Abandon” is pronounced uh-BAN-duhn (/əˈbæn.dən/ in IPA).

How do you use “abandon” in a sentence?

Here is “abandon” used in a sentence: “The crew was ordered to abandon ship as it began to sink.”

What is another word for “abandon”?

Words with a similar meaning to “abandon” include abdicate, abjure, blin, cast aside, cease and cede.

What is the opposite of “abandon”?

The opposite of “abandon” — its antonyms — are acquire, adopt, arrogate, advocate and cherish.

What part of speech is “abandon”?

Depending on how it is used, “abandon” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “abandon” come from?

The word “abandon” comes from Old French. From Old French abandoner, built from a ("to") and bandon ("control, jurisdiction"), so originally "to hand over to someone else's control" — which shifted to mean giving something up entirely.

Is “abandon” a common word?

“Abandon” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

What is the difference between abandon and leave?

Leave is neutral and can be temporary, but abandon means leaving someone or something behind for good, especially when you have a duty to stay. Abandoning a child, a ship, or a post implies a permanent and usually blameworthy departure.

What is the difference between abandon and forsake?

Both mean to desert someone or something you have an obligation to, but forsake is older and more literary, and often applies to giving up values, beliefs, or people. Abandon is the everyday word and also covers giving up plans or activities, as in "the search was abandoned."

Is abandon always negative?

The verb usually is: it implies walking away from a duty or giving up on something completely. The noun is often positive, though, because it means joyful freedom from restraint, as in "singing with abandon."

People also searched

keep hold drop claim join protect gain maintain quit defend desert engage

Nearby words

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