abdicate
Americanverb (used without object)
-
abdicates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
abdicated,
past participle, past
-
abdicating
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
abdicates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
abdicated,
past participle, past
-
abdicating
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
abdicationnoun
-
abdicatornoun
-
abdicableadjective
-
abdicativeadjective
-
nonabdicativeadjective
-
unabdicatedadjective
-
unabdicatingadjective
-
unabdicativeadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
abdicatesimple
-
abdicatessimple
-
have abdicatedperfect
-
has abdicatedperfect
-
am abdicatingprogressive
-
are abdicatingprogressive
-
is abdicatingprogressive
-
have been abdicatingperfect progressive
-
has been abdicatingperfect progressive
Past
-
abdicatedsimple
-
had abdicatedperfect
-
was abdicatingprogressive
-
were abdicatingprogressive
-
had been abdicatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of abdicate
First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin abdicāt(us) “renounced,” past participle of abdicāre “to renounce,” from ab- ab- + dicāre “to indicate, consecrate”
Explanation
Sometimes someone in power might decide to give up that power and step down from his or her position. When they do that, they abdicate their authority, giving up all duties and perks of the job. The original meaning of the verb abdicate came from the combination of the Latin ab- "away" and dicare "proclaim." (Note that in the charming relationships between languages with common roots, the Spanish word for "he says" is dice, which comes directly from dicare.) The word came to refer to disowning one's children, and it wasn't until the 17th century that the first use of the word relating to giving up power or public office was recorded.
Vocabulary lists containing abdicate
The Declaration of Independence
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 Top "SAT" Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
You Can Say That Again: Dic and Dict
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But in a written submission, the Charity Commission's lawyer, Faisel Sadiq argued that Campbell could not "abdicate" her responsibilities as a trustee to simply be a figurehead.
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026
“It is not enough to invoke ethics in the abstract; robust legal frameworks, independent oversight, informed users and a political system that does not abdicate its responsibility are required,” he wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026
In 2006, when a popular uprising forced the king to abdicate, Thapa was already a prominent figure in the pro-democracy movement and had been jailed several times for his role in street protests.
From Barron's ● Feb. 27, 2026
Yet sometimes miracles happen, and Senates don’t entirely abdicate their constitutional advice and consent roles.
From Slate ● Oct. 4, 2025
She looked repulsive, with her red nose, as people do when they abdicate their dignity.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Today, the Court abdicates its vital role in that effort.
From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2025
It may serve his interests by distracting and deflecting but abdicates presidential responsibility.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2025
Both the Independent and The Telegraph gave the season two-star reviews, with the latter writing that "a once fine drama abdicates with a miserable whimper".
From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2023
There's a lot of speculation over who might take over in her stead as Lakshmi abdicates her throne.
From Salon ● Jun. 10, 2023
His successor is either nominated by himself, in which case he sometimes abdicates in his favour, or else elected by the five chief mandarins from among the Brah Vansa.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 1 "Calhoun" to "Camoens" by Various
A few months later, faced with military reversals and urban unrest, Nicholas abdicated the throne.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
The plan is to invest in “everything our country has outsourced and abdicated over recent decades,” Combs says.
From Barron's ● Mar. 27, 2026
Ayad Akhtar’s “McNeal,” which had its premiere last year at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater in a production starring Robert Downey Jr., failed precisely because it abdicated this responsibility.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2025
In recent years of flourishing disinformation ecosystems and broken social contracts, satirical journalism has taken up more than a bit of the work abdicated by legitimate outlets.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2025
“You’ve just come from Erhenrang; what are they saying there about these rumors that Argaven has in fact abdicated without announcement, handed the sledge over to his cousin?”
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
“Do I recommend not getting involved? Yes,” she added, abdicating all responsibility for the safety of the neighborhood.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
It is “unfair to say the court is abdicating its authority,” said the ex-prosecutor, who also requested anonymity to speak candidly about the district’s judges.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 4, 2026
If the court ruled for Trump in this case, Gorsuch wondered: "What would prohibit Congress from just abdicating all responsibility to regulate foreign commerce?"
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2025
"She is abdicating her duty, and this is something that she needs to decide, not a jury. It's a question of law, not a question of fact."
From Salon ● Apr. 3, 2024
He wanted to lie down in this redolent field, curl up in the green womb in the dazzling aura of these mountains, growing warm and drowsy under the sun, abdicating all responsibilities—and sleep.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
