Abandoned — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ə-ˈban-dənd/ aban·doned

Meaning & Definition of Abandoned

Abandoned (adjective)

  1. left without needed protection, care, or support
  2. left by the owner, left to fall into a state of disuse
  3. no longer held or thought of, given up

Abandoned (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. left unoccupied or unused

    "she consciously avoided walking past the abandoned house, with its broken windows and sagging porch"

    similar: derelict, deserted, desolate, disused, forgotten, forsaken, rejected, vacant, vacated, void
    related: ignored, neglected, unattended, untended, castaway, cast-off, discarded, jettisoned, junked, refuse, waste, godforsaken, miserable, shabby, wretched, empty, idle
    near: reclaimed, recovered, redeemed, rescued, retrieved, salvaged, saved, reconditioned, rehabbed, rehabilitated, restored, repeopled

  2. showing no signs of being under control

    "wild, abandoned dancing that shocked the staid chaperones at the debutante ball"

    similar: intemperate, rampant, raw, runaway, unbounded, unbridled, unchecked, uncontrolled, unhampered, unhindered, unrestrained
    related: uncontrollable, ungovernable, barbaric, hog wild, riotous, uninhibited, wild
    opposite: bridled, checked, constrained, controlled, curbed, governed, hampered, hindered, restrained, temperate
    near: moderate, tempered

Abandoned (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: delivered, gave up, indulged, surrendered, yielded
    related: overdid, overindulged, basked, luxuriated, reveled, rolled, wallowed
    opposite: denied
    near: abstained (from), eschewed, forbore, forwent, refrained (from), checked, inhibited, restrained

  2. to cause to remain behind

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

    similar: deserted, forsook, left, marooned, quit, stranded, walked away from, walked out on
    related: discarded, ditched, dumped, flung, jettisoned, junked, scrapped, shed, shucked (off), threw away, threw out, delivered, gave up, handed over, relinquished, surrendered, yielded, escaped, retreated (from), took off (from), vacated, withdrew (from), abjured, cut off, disowned, rejected, renounced, repudiated, separated (from), sacrificed, distanced, disregarded, forgot, ignored, neglected
    opposite: reclaimed
    near: had, harbored, held, kept, owned, possessed, reserved, retained, withheld, redeemed, rescued, saved

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

    "the bad weather forced NASA to abandon the launch"

    similar: aborted, called, called off, canceled, cried off, dropped, recalled, repealed, rescinded, revoked, scrapped, scrubbed
    related: abrogated, annulled, invalidated, nullified, voided, wrote off, recanted, retracted, took back, withdrew, countermanded, reversed, rolled back, broke off, discontinued, ended, halted, stopped, terminated, held back, interrupted, suspended, gave up, relinquished, surrendered
    opposite: continued, kept
    near: engaged, pledged, promised, began, commenced, initiated, started, took on, took up, undertook

  4. to stop doing (something) permanently

    "marriage customs that were abandoned decades ago"

    similar: discontinued, dropped, gave up, knocked off, laid off (of), packed (up or in), quit, had done (with), hung it up
    related: broke off, broke up, ceased, closed, concluded, ended, expired, finished, halted, left off, shut off, paused, tapered off, threw up, rounded (off or out), terminated, wound up, wrapped up
    opposite: carried on, continued, kept, kept up, maintained
    near: ran on, went, held on, hung in, hung on, persevered, persisted, followed through (with), renewed, reopened, restarted, resumed, preserved, stayed, began, commenced, started

Related Entry: Abandon (verb)

Abandon is a different word from Abandoned. The synonyms below are for abandon, not for abandoned.

  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

Related Entry: Self-abandoned (adjective)

Self-abandoned is a different word from Abandoned. The synonyms below are for self-abandoned, not for abandoned.

  1. as in unbridled, unrestrained

    similar: unbridled, unrestrained, unattached, uncommitted, uninhibited, affable, breezy, casual, devil-may-care, easygoing, happy-go-lucky, laid-back, nonchalant, relaxed, self-assured, self-confident, self-reliant, footloose, freewheeling
    opposite: tied, attached, committed, pledged

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Abandoned

The most common words with a similar meaning to Abandoned:

derelict, deserted, desolate, disused, forgotten, forsaken, rejected, vacant, vacated, void, intemperate, rampant, raw, runaway, unbounded, unbridled, unchecked, uncontrolled, unhampered, unhindered, unrestrained, delivered, gave up, indulged, surrendered, yielded, forsook, left, marooned, quit, stranded, aborted, called, called off, canceled, cried off, dropped, recalled, repealed, rescinded

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Abandoned

Words with the opposite meaning of Abandoned:

bridled, checked, constrained, controlled, curbed, governed, hampered, hindered, restrained, temperate, denied, reclaimed, continued, kept, carried on, kept up, maintained

Related Words for Abandoned

ignored, neglected, unattended, untended, castaway, cast-off, discarded, jettisoned, junked, refuse, waste, godforsaken, miserable, shabby, wretched, empty, idle, uncontrollable, ungovernable, barbaric, hog wild, riotous, uninhibited, wild, overdid, overindulged, basked, luxuriated, reveled, rolled

Near Antonyms of Abandoned

recovered, redeemed, rescued, retrieved, salvaged, saved, reconditioned, rehabbed, rehabilitated, restored, repeopled, moderate, tempered, abstained (from), eschewed, forbore, forwent, refrained (from), inhibited, had, harbored, held, owned, possessed, reserved, retained, withheld, engaged, pledged, promised

Origin & Etymology of Abandoned

Middle English, from past participle of abandounen "to abandon:1"

First known use: 15th century

Words & Phrases Containing Abandoned

self-abandoned

Frequently Asked Questions about Abandoned

What does "Abandoned" mean?

"Abandoned" means left without needed protection, care, or support. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: left without needed protection, care, or support. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Abandoned"?

Other words for "Abandoned" include derelict, deserted, desolate, disused, forgotten, forsaken, rejected and vacant. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Abandoned" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Abandoned"?

There are 140 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Abandoned". Common alternatives include derelict, deserted, desolate, disused, forgotten, forsaken, rejected, vacant, vacated and void.

What is the opposite of "Abandoned"?

Antonyms of "Abandoned" include bridled, checked, constrained, controlled, curbed, governed, hampered and hindered. Near antonyms include recovered, redeemed, rescued and retrieved.

How do you use "Abandoned" in a sentence?

Examples of "Abandoned" in a sentence: "she consciously avoided walking past the abandoned house, with its broken windows and sagging porch"; "wild, abandoned dancing that shocked the staid chaperones at the debutante ball"; "more than ready to abandon himself to a life of complete idleness for the duration of his vacation".

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

"Abandoned" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Abandoned"?

"Abandoned" is pronounced /ə-ˈban-dənd/ and divided into syllables as aban·doned.

What is the origin of the word "Abandoned"?

"Abandoned" comes from Middle English, from past participle of abandounen "to abandon:1". First known use: 15th century.