1
as in to indulge
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to leave
to cause to remain behind
abandoned the group that he had been hiking with and struck out on his own
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to cancel
to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to)
the bad weather forced NASA to abandon the launch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to discontinue
to stop doing (something) permanently
marriage customs that were abandoned decades ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in abandonment
carefree freedom from constraint
added spices to the stew with complete abandon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of abandon
Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 22 Apr. 2025
There are scouts who say the move up is too soon and that Kurtz will abandon his fondness for drawing walks and start chasing pitches off the plate delivered by more experienced MLB pitchers.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2025
So that’s what Jan does, replicating himself with carefree abandon.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abandon
Verb
But supporters of the Manteno project, slated for a roughly 150-acre, abandoned Kmart warehouse distribution site near Interstate 57, have dismissed such fears about Chinese influence by noting long-standing Chinese investments in the U.S.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 22 Apr. 2025
There are scouts who say the move up is too soon and that Kurtz will abandon his fondness for drawing walks and start chasing pitches off the plate delivered by more experienced MLB pitchers.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
And moving friends to the enemy list with such reckless abandon will do nothing to mold future leaders able to take actions to remind the world that America stands for fairness and freedom.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2025
So that’s what Jan does, replicating himself with carefree abandon.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abandon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abandon
Verb
-
In any event, a square between the sun and your celestial ruler, Mars, on April 20, creates tension between your desire to indulge and have fun versus the reality of your financial responsibilities.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The pet-friendly hotel indulges guests with a rooftop terrace, a library bar, and accommodations that range from cozy rooms to three-bedroom suites.—
Cameron Sperance,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Prosecutors accused Read of striking O’Keefe with her SUV then leaving him to die in the snow.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Visas for Pakistani citizens were limited, many Pakistanis were given a deadline to leave the country, diplomatic ties were downgraded, a land border between the two was shut down, and Pakistani military advisers were expelled from the New Delhi mission.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Trump skipped three times during his last presidency (the 2020 affair was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic).—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
-
Organizers and the Kennedy Center have canceled a week’s worth of events celebrating LGBTQ+ rights for this summer’s World Pride festival in Washington amid a shift in priorities and the ousting of leadership at one of the nation’s premier cultural institutions.—
Ashraf Khalil,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
For the remaining 15% of beneficiaries, State and USAID are working to rebalance awards, discontinuing non-priority activities to focus on core life-saving services.—
Ted Koppel,
CBS News,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Listen to this article Valparaiso will not continue to explore expanding Central Park Plaza downtown after Mayor Jon Costas said the owners of the properties adjacent to the park who would have to sell have decided to discontinue their talks with the city.—
Amy Lavalley,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Since 2023, the global online shopping cart abandonment rate has held steady at 70.19%.—
Gabriel Shaoolian,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Following the incident, the woman later identified herself and left a voicemail admitting to the abandonment.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
While it’s been relatively rare for charter schools in Fort Worth to surrender their charters, Rocketship Texas’ closure comes about a year after the closure of another local campus, for similar reasons.—
Silas Allen,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Several hours later, around 4:30 p.m., the suspect in the killing, 47-year-old Terrell Gibbs, contacted police and agreed to surrender, Sprecco said.—
Christian Martinez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Malone grew increasingly frustrated with roster construction after the Nuggets forsook their right to match contract offers for Caldwell-Pope, sources said.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Don’t forsake the things that bring you joy during this time.—
Nicole Lipkin,
Forbes,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Otherwise, the Browns would scrap the trade and take Ward themselves.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Authorities are also reportedly debating scrapping the tariff on aircraft leases.—
Chloe Taylor,Ganesh Rao,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abandon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abandon. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share