abandon

[uh-ban-duhn]

verb (used with object)

1. to leave completely and finally; forsake utterly; desert.

   The crew finally abandoned the sinking ship and boarded a lifeboat.

   He abandoned his wife and children, leaving them in poverty.

   Antonyms: keep

2. to give up; withdraw from; discontinue.

   She had to abandon the research project when the grant money dried up.

   I’ve abandoned all hope of a stage career.

   Antonyms: start, begin, continue

3. to give up the control of.

   After a long struggle, they abandoned the city to the invading army.

   Synonyms: abdicate, waive, resign, surrender, yield
   Antonyms: retain

4. to yield (oneself) without restraint or moderation; give (oneself) over to natural impulses, usually without self-control.

   After the breakup, he fell apart and abandoned himself to grief.

5. Law.,  to cast away, leave, or desert, as property or a child.

6. Insurance.,  to relinquish (insured property) to the underwriter in case of partial loss, thus enabling the insured to claim a total loss.

7. Obsolete.,  to banish.

noun

1. a complete surrender to natural impulses without restraint or moderation; freedom from inhibition.

   During this retreat you will learn to play and dance with reckless abandon.

abandon

/ əˈbændən /

verb

1. to forsake completely; desert; leave behind

   to abandon a baby

   drivers had to abandon their cars

2. the order given to the crew of a ship that is about to sink to take to the lifeboats

3. to give up completely

   to abandon a habit

   to abandon hope

4. to yield control of or concern in; relinquish

   to abandon office

5. to give up (something begun) before completion

   to abandon a job

   the game was abandoned

6. to surrender (oneself) to emotion without restraint

7. to give (insured property that has suffered partial loss or damage) to the insurers in order that a claim for a total loss may be made

noun

1. freedom from inhibitions, restraint, concern, or worry

   she danced with abandon

Other Word Forms

• abandonable adjective
• abandoner noun
• abandonment noun
• unabandoning adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of abandon¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English verb abando(u)nen, from Middle French abandoner, from Old French (mettre) a bandon “(put) under (someone's) jurisdiction,” equivalent to a “at, to” (from Latin ad; ad- ) + bandon, from Germanic band (unrecorded); bond ¹; noun derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of abandon¹

C14: abandounen (vb), from Old French, from a bandon under one's control, in one's power, from a at, to + bandon control, power

Synonym Study

See desert ². Abandon, relinquish, renounce mean to give up all concern in something. Abandon means to give up or discontinue any further interest in something because of discouragement, weariness, distaste, or the like: to abandon one's efforts. Relinquish implies being or feeling compelled to give up something one would prefer to keep: to relinquish a long-cherished desire. Renounce implies making (and perhaps formally stating) a voluntary decision to give something up: to renounce worldly pleasures.

Example Sentences

"He abandoned us, is the nicest way I can put it," says Shirley, now 61.

Read more on BBC

“The subject fled the scene and abandoned his vehicle.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

As it focuses on its fossil fuels business, Shell last month announced it had abandoned construction of one of Europe's largest biofuel plants in the Netherlands.

Read more on Barron's

Looking shell-shocked as he sat on his couch on recent morning, Ibrahim spoke with quiet anger at what he saw as the U.S. abandoning its citizens.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Hyman said that as time passes and as the disaster becomes “old news,” people feel like they’re being abandoned as help winds down.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• desert 
• discard 
• discontinue 
• ditch 
• drop out 
• dump 
• leave 
• pull out 
• quit 
• stop 
• surrender 
• vacate 
• withdraw