Synonyms for abandon
əˈbæn dənaban·don

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.8 / 16 votes

1. abandon

   Abandon is a word of wide signification, applying to persons or things of any kind; abdicate and resign apply to office, authority, or power; cede to territorial possessions; surrender especially to military force, and more generally to any demand, claim, passion, etc. Quit carries an idea of suddenness or abruptness not necessarily implied in abandon, and may not have the same suggestion of finality. The king abdicates his throne, cedes his territory, deserts his followers, renounces his religion, relinquishes his titles, abandons his designs. A cowardly officer deserts his ship; the helpless passengers abandon it. We quit business, give up property, resign office, abandon a habit or a trust. Relinquish commonly implies reluctance; the fainting hand relinquishes its grasp; the creditor relinquishes his claim. Abandon implies previous association with responsibility for or control of; forsake implies previous association with inclination or attachment, real or assumed; a man may abandon or forsake house or friends; he abandons an enterprise; forsakes God. Abandon is applied to both good and evil action; a thief abandons his designs, a man his principles. Forsake, like abandon, may be used either in the favorable or unfavorable sense; desert is always unfavorable, involving a breach of duty, except when used of mere localities; as, "the Deserted Village." While a monarch abdicates, a president or other elected or appointed officer resigns. It was held that James II. abdicated his throne by deserting it.

   Synonyms:
   abdicate, abjure, cast off, cease, cede, depart from, desert, discontinue, forego, forsake, forswear, give up, leave, quit, recant, relinquish, renounce, repudiate, resign, retire from, retract, surrender, vacate, withdraw from

   Antonyms:
   adopt, advocate, assert, cherish, claim, court, defend, favor, haunt, hold, keep, maintain, occupy, prosecute, protect, pursue, retain, seek, support, undertake, uphold, vindicate

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:2.7 / 12 votes

1. abandon

   Synonyms:
   leave, forsake, desert, renounce, cease, relinquish, discontinue, castoff, resign, retire, quit, forego, forswear, depart from, vacate, surrender, abjure, repudiate

   Antonyms:
   pursue, prosecute, undertake, seek, court, cherish, favor, protect, claim, maintain, defend, advocate, retain, support, uphold, occupy, haunt, hold, assert, vindicate, keep

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:1.8 / 6 votes

1. abandon, wantonness, unconstraintnoun

   the trait of lacking restraint or control; reckless freedom from inhibition or worry

   "she danced with abandon"

   Synonyms:
   wantonness, wildness, licentiousness, unconstraint

2. wildness, abandonverb

   a feeling of extreme emotional intensity

   "the wildness of his anger"

   Synonyms:
   fury, unconstraint, wantonness, wildness, violence, vehemence, furiousness, ferocity, fierceness

3. abandonverb

   forsake, leave behind

   "We abandoned the old car in the empty parking lot"

   Synonyms:
   give up, vacate, empty, desert, forsake, desolate

4. abandon, give upverb

   give up with the intent of never claiming again

   "Abandon your life to God"; "She gave up her children to her ex-husband when she moved to Tahiti"; "We gave the drowning victim up for dead"

   Synonyms:
   spare, allow, forfeit, vacate, release, give up, forsake, forgo, kick, throw in, surrender, part with, fall by the wayside, desolate, lay off, waive, throw overboard, dispense with, cede, stop, empty, desert, relinquish, throw in the towel, deliver, resign, cease, chuck up the sponge, renounce, discontinue, drop out, free, drop by the wayside, forego, quit

5. vacate, empty, abandonverb

   leave behind empty; move out of

   "You must vacate your office by tonight"

   Synonyms:
   overturn, lift, vacate, annul, rescind, countermand, discharge, evacuate, reverse, renounce, desolate, give up, resign, desert, revoke, empty, forsake, void, repeal

6. abandon, give upverb

   stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas or claims

   "He abandoned the thought of asking for her hand in marriage"; "Both sides have to give up some claims in these negotiations"

   Synonyms:
   spare, allow, forfeit, vacate, release, give up, forsake, forgo, kick, throw in, surrender, part with, fall by the wayside, desolate, lay off, waive, throw overboard, dispense with, cede, stop, empty, desert, relinquish, throw in the towel, deliver, resign, cease, chuck up the sponge, renounce, discontinue, drop out, free, drop by the wayside, forego, quit

7. abandon, forsake, desolate, desertverb

   leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

   "The mother deserted her children"

   Synonyms:
   waste, devastate, give up, desert, lay waste to, vacate, scourge, empty, depopulate, defect, forsake, ravage, desolate

Matched Categories

1. • Discard
   • Leave
   • Unrestraint

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. give upverb

   give up an opportunity

   i gave up my chance

   Submitted by r.pisani on January 11, 2022  

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:2.8 / 4 votes

1. abandonverb

   Synonyms:
   leave, relinquish, quit, forsake, desert, evacuate, drop, abjure, forswear, give over, cast off, retire from, withdraw from

2. abandonverb

   Synonyms:
   surrender, cede, yield, resign, forego, renounce, waive, vacate, ABDICATE, deliver up, give up, part with, let go, lay down

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:2.0 / 1 vote

1. abandonnoun

   Synonyms:
   unrestraint, wantonness

2. abandonverb

   Synonyms:
   desert, forsake, forego, discard, relinquish, repudiate, waive, renounce, abdicate

   Antonyms:
   retain, maintain, continue, cherish

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "abandon":

   renounce, leave, relinquish, waive, forgo, surrender, forego, forsake, quit, abandonment, abandons, drop, discontinue, flee, discard, abdicate, leaving

Suggested Resources

1. abandon

   Song lyrics by abandon -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by abandon on the Lyrics.com website.

2. Abandon

   Abandon vs. Abandoned -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Abandon and Abandoned.

How to pronounce abandon?

How to say abandon in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

1. [["1507","1"],["1515","2"],["1524","5"],["1563","8"],["1574","1"],["1581","5"],["1582","10"],["1584","1"],["1587","10"],["1588","1"],["1590","4"],["1592","2"],["1597","1"],["1600","6"],["1607","2"],["1619","5"],["1620","1"],["1624","7"],["1625","1"],["1628","1"],["1629","5"],["1632","1"],["1635","2"],["1637","3"],["1642","3"],["1644","2"],["1645","3"],["1646","2"],["1647","9"],["1648","2"],["1649","7"],["1651","16"],["1653","2"],["1655","6"],["1656","9"],["1657","2"],["1658","10"],["1660","3"],["1661","1"],["1662","1"],["1664","2"],["1665","2"],["1667","13"],["1668","11"],["1669","1"],["1670","23"],["1671","3"],["1672","8"],["1673","43"],["1674","1"],["1675","10"],["1676","21"],["1677","8"],["1678","14"],["1679","12"],["1680","11"],["1681","14"],["1682","20"],["1683","30"],["1684","9"],["1685","53"],["1686","35"],["1687","3"],["1688","50"],["1689","10"],["1690","1"],["1691","9"],["1692","28"],["1693","18"],["1694","7"],["1695","4"],["1696","11"],["1697","6"],["1698","30"],["1699","22"],["1700","40"],["1701","38"],["1702","55"],["1703","37"],["1704","39"],["1705","59"],["1706","110"],["1707","100"],["1708","81"],["1709","24"],["1710","46"],["1711","131"],["1712","59"],["1713","70"],["1714","102"],["1715","66"],["1716","48"],["1717","63"],["1718","28"],["1719","72"],["1720","71"],["1721","82"],["1722","101"],["1723","100"],["1724","109"],["1725","68"],["1726","60"],["1727","116"],["1728","205"],["1729","211"],["1730","140"],["1731","185"],["1732","96"],["1733","93"],["1734","183"],["1735","119"],["1736","154"],["1737","117"],["1738","144"],["1739","126"],["1740","156"],["1741","125"],["1742","125"],["1743","137"],["1744","168"],["1745","110"],["1746","104"],["1747","214"],["1748","344"],["1749","138"],["1750","404"],["1751","190"],["1752","206"],["1753","376"],["1754","503"],["1755","346"],["1756","178"],["1757","204"],["1758","331"],["1759","496"],["1760","303"],["1761","614"],["1762","306"],["1763","420"],["1764","309"],["1765","117"],["1766","406"],["1767","187"],["1768","627"],["1769","320"],["1770","425"],["1771","304"],["1772","234"],["1773","359"],["1774","348"],["1775","377"],["1776","257"],["1777","547"],["1778","419"],["1779","534"],["1780","463"],["1781","462"],["1782","530"],["1783","418"],["1784","334"],["1785","503"],["1786","499"],["1787","972"],["1788","897"],["1789","890"],["1790","910"],["1791","716"],["1792","942"],["1793","908"],["1794","691"],["1795","733"],["1796","1231"],["1797","858"],["1798","889"],["1799","1079"],["1800","1539"],["1801","1608"],["1802","1924"],["1803","2099"],["1804","2935"],["1805","2675"],["1806","2039"],["1807","2222"],["1808","2290"],["1809","2561"],["1810","2858"],["1811","3002"],["1812","3291"],["1813","2663"],["1814","3097"],["1815","3416"],["1816","3355"],["1817","4482"],["1818","4167"],["1819","2822"],["1820","4313"],["1821","3316"],["1822","4564"],["1823","4643"],["1824","4869"],["1825","6236"],["1826","5096"],["1827","5475"],["1828","6391"],["1829","5693"],["1830","5876"],["1831","5506"],["1832","6454"],["1833","5740"],["1834","5539"],["1835","7479"],["1836","7992"],["1837","6172"],["1838","6488"],["1839","8032"],["1840","8401"],["1841","7401"],["1842","6170"],["1843","7536"],["1844","7534"],["1845","9022"],["1846","9397"],["1847","9137"],["1848","9177"],["1849","8944"],["1850","10491"],["1851","10498"],["1852","10969"],["1853","12190"],["1854","13032"],["1855","12398"],["1856","13293"],["1857","10659"],["1858","10543"],["1859","11068"],["1860","11821"],["1861","9985"],["1862","7340"],["1863","7071"],["1864","9413"],["1865","8167"],["1866","10745"],["1867","9695"],["1868","9400"],["1869","8705"],["1870","8837"],["1871","8464"],["1872","8203"],["1873","8688"],["1874","9594"],["1875","10445"],["1876","10510"],["1877","11030"],["1878","9393"],["1879","9868"],["1880","12656"],["1881","12939"],["1882","13063"],["1883","14718"],["1884","14423"],["1885","12366"],["1886","12394"],["1887","12126"],["1888","12043"],["1889","11496"],["1890","12452"],["1891","11770"],["1892","13793"],["1893","12982"],["1894","13069"],["1895","14241"],["1896","16321"],["1897","14905"],["1898","16645"],["1899","18214"],["1900","20870"],["1901","19056"],["1902","20279"],["1903","18358"],["1904","20944"],["1905","20018"],["1906","18927"],["1907","19122"],["1908","18861"],["1909","17418"],["1910","17622"],["1911","17598"],["1912","17900"],["1913","17796"],["1914","17660"],["1915","15959"],["1916","14730"],["1917","14557"],["1918","13769"],["1919","15562"],["1920","17719"],["1921","16079"],["1922","17808"],["1923","14351"],["1924","13680"],["1925","13834"],["1926","13101"],["1927","15923"],["1928","16737"],["1929","15000"],["1930","16276"],["1931","15551"],["1932","13620"],["1933","11830"],["1934","15266"],["1935","15376"],["1936","15507"],["1937","15812"],["1938","15945"],["1939","15830"],["1940","14701"],["1941","13182"],["1942","12103"],["1943","11220"],["1944","10136"],["1945","10574"],["1946","14867"],["1947","17700"],["1948","17760"],["1949","18972"],["1950","19825"],["1951","18710"],["1952","19913"],["1953","19093"],["1954","20844"],["1955","21052"],["1956","22315"],["1957","24232"],["1958","23999"],["1959","25811"],["1960","29159"],["1961","32880"],["1962","35130"],["1963","37383"],["1964","38190"],["1965","41605"],["1966","44949"],["1967","47377"],["1968","52898"],["1969","52076"],["1970","52609"],["1971","50493"],["1972","50150"],["1973","48462"],["1974","46457"],["1975","46522"],["1976","47203"],["1977","47402"],["1978","47219"],["1979","50389"],["1980","49619"],["1981","50287"],["1982","51296"],["1983","52530"],["1984","55347"],["1985","57035"],["1986","61346"],["1987","64778"],["1988","67450"],["1989","71100"],["1990","76485"],["1991","76691"],["1992","81598"],["1993","82590"],["1994","87716"],["1995","89904"],["1996","96244"],["1997","97010"],["1998","101948"],["1999","109802"],["2000","122314"],["2001","121475"],["2002","132571"],["2003","143051"],["2004","157230"],["2005","149653"],["2006","165214"],["2007","176714"],["2008","228002"]]

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use abandon in a sentence?

1. Lloyd Austin:

   We remain committed to this region. We still have tens of thousands of troops in this region. We have significant capability here, as a person who has fought here for a number of years, defending interests in this region, let me assure you that we are not going to abandon those interests going forward.

2. Ronald Reagan:

   This is the issue of this election : whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.

3. Natalie Francis:

   They said anyone with Chinese nationality or other citizenship is not being allowed to go on, i'm like, 'So yeah, you want me to just abandon my son in China, and go home?'.

4. Boris Johnson:

   The way to get our friends and partners to understand how serious we are is finally, I'm afraid, to abandon the defeatism and negativity that has enfolded us in a great cloud for so long and to prepare confidently and seriously for a WTO or no-deal outcome.

5. Bruno Le Maire:

   With the economy operating at 99% of (pre-crisis) capacity, we have to get out of ‘whatever it costs’. That does not mean we are going to abandon companies that are still struggling.