abdication

American  

[ab-di-kay-shuhn] / ˌæb dɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or state of abdicating; renunciation.

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Other Word Forms

• nonabdication
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of abdication

First recorded in 1545–55, abdication is from the Latin word abdicātiōn- (stem of abdicātiō ). See abdicate, -ion

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Explanation

Abdication is the formal act of stepping down from something, especially a king giving up the throne. An abdication is a type of resignation. When a king — or another person in power — gives up that position, they abdicate. Such an act is then called an abdication. The roots of this word mean declare in Latin, and that's an important part of the meaning. Abdicating isn't just quitting: it's formally quitting, including a declaration of quitting. There’s no such thing as a private abdication. After an abdication, there's a vacuum of power, and there may be a power struggle to fill the empty position.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

abdication

It’s about inertia and abdication, not solutions, and while I don’t entirely love this strange comedy, I’m giddy that it’s lurched into existence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

She regrouped with the left-wing bloc and parliament re-elected her prime minister five days later, making her Sweden's first woman head of government since the abdication of Queen Ulrika Eleonora in 1720.

From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026

But now his abdication moment has arrived, a year earlier than planned.

From BBC ● May 23, 2026

The abdication of curatorial responsibility here might have been at least partially forgivable if the show were stuffed with so much engaging work that finding a unifying through-line proved nearly impossible.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 6, 2026

Tyler and his friend Bobby made it very clear that they blamed her for Jack’s abdication of duty.

From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu

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Related Words

• abandonment

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