Abandon — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ə-ˈban-dən/ aban·don

Meaning & Definition of Abandon

Abandon (verb)

  1. to give up to the control or influence of another person or agent
  2. to give up with the intent of never again claiming a right or interest in
  3. to withdraw from often in the face of danger or encroachment

Abandon (noun)

  1. a thorough yielding to natural impulses; especially, enthusiasm, exuberance

Abandon (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: deliver, give up, indulge, surrender, yield
    related: overdo, overindulge, bask, luxuriate, revel, roll, wallow
    opposite: deny
    near: abstain (from), eschew, forbear, forgo, refrain (from), check, inhibit, restrain

  2. to cause to remain behind

    "abandoned the group that he had been hiking with and struck out on his own"

    similar: desert, forsake, leave, maroon, quit, strand, walk away from, walk out on
    related: discard, ditch, dump, fling, jettison, junk, scrap, shed, shuck (off), throw away, throw out, deliver, give up, hand over, relinquish, surrender, yield, escape, retreat (from), take off (from), vacate, withdraw (from), abjure, cut off, disown, reject, renounce, repudiate, separate (from), sacrifice, distance, disregard, forget, ignore, neglect
    opposite: reclaim
    near: harbor, have, hold, keep, own, possess, reserve, retain, withhold, redeem, rescue, save

  3. to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to)

    "the bad weather forced NASA to abandon the launch"

    similar: abort, call, call off, cancel, cry off, drop, recall, repeal, rescind, revoke, scrap, scrub
    related: abrogate, annul, invalidate, nullify, void, write off, recant, retract, take back, withdraw, countermand, reverse, roll back, break off, discontinue, end, halt, stop, terminate, hold back, interrupt, suspend, give up, relinquish, surrender
    opposite: continue, keep
    near: engage, pledge, promise, begin, commence, initiate, start, take on, take up, undertake

  4. to stop doing (something) permanently

    "marriage customs that were abandoned decades ago"

    similar: discontinue, drop, give up, knock off, lay off (of), pack (up or in), quit, hang it up, have done (with)
    related: break off, break up, cease, close, conclude, end, expire, finish, halt, leave off, shut off, pause, taper off, throw up, round (off or out), terminate, wind up, wrap up
    opposite: carry on, continue, keep, keep up, maintain
    near: go, run on, hang in, hang on, hold on, persevere, persist, follow through (with), renew, reopen, restart, resume, preserve, stay, begin, commence, start

Abandon (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. carefree freedom from constraint

    "added spices to the stew with complete abandon"

    similar: abandonment, ease, lightheartedness, naturalness, spontaneity, spontaneousness, unconstraint, uninhibitedness, unrestraint
    related: ardor, enthusiasm, exuberance, fervor, spirit, warmth, zeal, zealotry, zealousness, carelessness, heedlessness, impulsiveness, impulsivity, indiscretion, insouciance, recklessness, thoughtlessness, unself-consciousness, casualness, offhandedness, excess, excessiveness, immoderacy, incontinence, indulgence, intemperance, licentiousness, permissiveness, wantonness, wildness, blank check, carte blanche, free hand
    opposite: constraint, restraint
    near: embarrassment, reserve, reticence, self-consciousness, uneasiness, inhibition, repression, self-restraint, suppression, carefulness, discreetness, discretion, heedfulness, discipline, self-command, self-control, self-denial, self-discipline, self-mastery, willpower

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Abandon

The most common words with a similar meaning to Abandon:

deliver, give up, indulge, surrender, yield, desert, forsake, leave, maroon, quit, strand, abort, call, call off, cancel, cry off, drop, recall, repeal, rescind, revoke, scrap, scrub, discontinue, knock off, lay off (of), pack (up or in), walk away from, walk out on, hang it up, have done (with), abandonment, ease, lightheartedness, naturalness, spontaneity, spontaneousness, unconstraint, uninhibitedness, unrestraint

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Abandon

Words with the opposite meaning of Abandon:

deny, reclaim, continue, keep, carry on, keep up, maintain, constraint, restraint

Related Words for Abandon

overdo, overindulge, bask, luxuriate, revel, roll, wallow, discard, ditch, dump, fling, jettison, junk, shed, shuck (off), throw away, throw out, hand over, relinquish, escape, retreat (from), take off (from), vacate, withdraw (from), abjure, cut off, disown, reject, renounce, repudiate

Near Antonyms of Abandon

abstain (from), eschew, forbear, forgo, refrain (from), check, inhibit, restrain, harbor, have, hold, own, possess, reserve, retain, withhold, redeem, rescue, save, engage, pledge, promise, begin, commence, initiate, start, take on, take up, undertake, go

Word Forms of Abandon

Inflections: abandoned, abandoning, abandons

Derived words: abandoner (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Abandon

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") at:1, ban:1, banner:1

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Abandon

Words & Phrases Containing Abandon

abandon oneself to, with reckless abandon, abandon/drop all pretense at

Frequently Asked Questions about Abandon

What does "Abandon" mean?

"Abandon" means to give up to the control or influence of another person or agent. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to give up to the control or influence of another person or agent. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Abandon"?

Other words for "Abandon" include deliver, give up, indulge, surrender, yield, desert, forsake and leave. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Abandon" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Abandon"?

There are 145 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Abandon". Common alternatives include deliver, give up, indulge, surrender, yield, desert, forsake, leave, maroon and quit.

What is the opposite of "Abandon"?

Antonyms of "Abandon" include deny, reclaim, continue, keep, carry on, keep up, maintain and constraint. Near antonyms include abstain (from), eschew, forbear and forgo.

How do you use "Abandon" in a sentence?

Examples of "Abandon" in a sentence: "more than ready to abandon himself to a life of complete idleness for the duration of his vacation"; "abandoned the group that he had been hiking with and struck out on his own"; "the bad weather forced NASA to abandon the launch".

Is "Abandon" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Abandon" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Abandon" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Abandon"?

"Abandon" is pronounced /ə-ˈban-dən/ and divided into syllables as aban·don.