abandonment
noun
aban·don·ment
ə-ˈban-dən-mənt 
1
: the act of abandoning something or someone
In its family and social contexts, he argues, the abandonment of children was, if not a "good thing," at least the most feasible means of family limitation during the many centuries when other methods were largely ineffective or, in the case of Christians, prohibited.—
Mary Martin McLaughlin
Mary Martin McLaughlin2
: the state of being abandoned
fear of abandonment
The opulence of her life as an expat wife failed to soothe her feelings of abandonment, boredom and oppression.—Bob Shacochis
—sometimes used before another nounBob Shacochisabandonment issues
Examples of abandonment in a Sentence
sang at the top of her lungs with complete abandonment in the shower
the law says abandonment by the owner of any building for more than a year entitles the city to sell it
the park commissioner cited cost considerations as the main reason for the project's abandonment
Recent Examples on the Web
Studies show that children exposed to abuse or high-conflict environments often develop a fear of abandonment and rejection, which can lead to complex trauma or borderline personality disorder.
—Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
Memoir My Abyss Patrick Cottrell Obsession will always be an attractive fresh hell for a person like me, a product of abandonment with a longing for attachment.
—Max Ufberg, hazlitt.net, 5 Mar. 2025
Fostering emotional stability—through affirming self-worth and working on healthy communication and self-trust—can help reduce fears of abandonment over time.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
The hurt from his abandonment cut too deep, and the shame of thinking of him judging the group for eating Jackie and Javi is too raw.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abandonment
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Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
Memoir My Abyss Patrick Cottrell Obsession will always be an attractive fresh hell for a person like me, a product of abandonment with a longing for attachment.
—Max Ufberg, hazlitt.net, 5 Mar. 2025
Fostering emotional stability—through affirming self-worth and working on healthy communication and self-trust—can help reduce fears of abandonment over time.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
The hurt from his abandonment cut too deep, and the shame of thinking of him judging the group for eating Jackie and Javi is too raw.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abandonment
Cite this Entry
“Abandonment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abandonment. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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