abdicate
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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abdicationnoun
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abdicatornoun
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abdicableadjective
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abdicativeadjective
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nonabdicativeadjective
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unabdicatedadjective
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unabdicatingadjective
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unabdicativeadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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abdicatesimple
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abdicatessimple
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have abdicatedperfect
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has abdicatedperfect
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am abdicatingprogressive
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are abdicatingprogressive
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is abdicatingprogressive
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have been abdicatingperfect progressive
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has been abdicatingperfect progressive
Past
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abdicatedsimple
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had abdicatedperfect
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was abdicatingprogressive
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were abdicatingprogressive
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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
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100 Top "SAT" Words
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You Can Say That Again: Dic and Dict
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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:
“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
Denmark’s Queen Margrethe became the first Danish monarch to abdicate in nearly 900 years last month when she handed over the throne to her son, Frederik.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 6, 2024
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
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
Better because it abdicates the throne of “is.”
From Slate ● May 14, 2019
Gilles de Mugnos, canon of Bar- celona, elected by two cardinals in 1424, to succeed Benedict XIII. or Peter de Lune, abdicates the 26th July, 1429 216.
From The Power Of The Popes by Daunou, Pierre Claude Fran?ois
A few months later, faced with military reversals and urban unrest, Nicholas abdicated the throne.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
This was where she abdicated the throne in favour of her baby son, James VI.
From BBC ● Dec. 11, 2025
In the video, Juan Carlos also urged Spain to support his son Felipe VI, in whose favour he abdicated in 2014, "in this difficult task of uniting all Spaniards".
From Barron's ● Dec. 1, 2025
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
“After he abdicated and became quite old, he returned to the palace with the Paper and a strange story.”
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
“If that’s true, what would prohibit Congress from just abdicating all responsibility to regulate foreign commerce—for that matter, declare war—to the president?”
From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2025
Despite his advancing age and ill-health, King Harald has openly ruled out abdicating.
From BBC ● Apr. 22, 2024
"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
Councilmember Kevin de León, asked about the memo last week, said he has no intention of abdicating his right to free speech and to assemble.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2023
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.
