verb

abort

uh-BAWT

verb

To stop an action, plan, or process before it is finished, usually because of a problem.

"The pilot had to abort the landing due to high winds."

"The developers aborted the update after users reported crashes."

(medical) To end a pregnancy before the fetus can survive outside the womb.

"The clinic provides counseling for patients considering whether to abort a pregnancy."

How to Use Abort

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo stop something partway through, before it's completed — often because something has gone wrong.

Common pairings

abort a mission abort the launch abort the process

aborted past tense, aborts plural, aborts singular

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The pilot had to _____ the landing due to high winds.

From Latin abortus, past participle of aboriri, "to fail to be born," from ab- ("away, amiss") + oriri ("to arise, be born").