abandoned

American  

[uh-ban-duhnd] / əˈbæn dənd /

adjective

1. forsaken or deserted.

   an abandoned building; an abandoned kitten.

2. unrestrained or uncontrolled; uninhibited.

   She danced with abandoned enthusiasm.

3. utterly lacking in moral restraints; shameless; wicked.

   an abandoned and dissolute ruler.

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abandoned British  

/ əˈbændənd /

adjective

1. deserted

   an abandoned windmill

2. forsaken

   an abandoned child

3. unrestrained; uninhibited

   wild, abandoned dancing

4. depraved; profligate

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Related Words

See immoral.

Other Word Forms

• abandonedly adverb
• half-abandoned adjective
• unabandoned adjective

Etymology

Origin of abandoned

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; abandon + -ed ²

Example Sentences

This includes elections in 30 English councils that will now go ahead, after the government abandoned previously-announced plans to delay them.

From BBC

The government has abandoned plans to delay 30 council elections in England following legal advice.

From BBC

The team discovered 45 abandoned tents, mostly in Wester Ross and Loch Ness.

From BBC

And while health care has deteriorated badly in recent years because of shortages of medicines and equipment, it remains free — a system gasping but not abandoned.

From Salon

Eyewitnesses described the tanker "swinging around like a compass" as waves crashed over the abandoned ship and black plumes of oil spurted out into the sea.

From BBC