abandon

[ uh-ban-duhn ]

verb (used with object)

1. to leave completely and finally; forsake utterly; desert:

   The crew finally abandoned the sinking ship and boarded a lifeboat.

   He abandoned his wife and children, leaving them in poverty.

   Antonyms: keep

2. to give up; withdraw from; discontinue:

   She had to abandon the research project when the grant money dried up.

   I’ve abandoned all hope of a stage career.

   Antonyms: start, begin, continue

3. to give up the control of:

   After a long struggle, they abandoned the city to the invading army.

   Synonyms: abdicate, waive, resign, surrender, yield

   Antonyms: retain

4. to yield (oneself) without restraint or moderation; give (oneself) over to natural impulses, usually without self-control:

   After the breakup, he fell apart and abandoned himself to grief.

5. Law. to cast away, leave, or desert, as property or a child.
6. Insurance. to relinquish (insured property) to the underwriter in case of partial loss, thus enabling the insured to claim a total loss.
7. Obsolete. to banish.

noun

1. a complete surrender to natural impulses without restraint or moderation; freedom from inhibition:

   During this retreat you will learn to play and dance with reckless abandon.

abandon

/ əˈbændən /

verb

1. to forsake completely; desert; leave behind

   to abandon a baby

   drivers had to abandon their cars

2. abandon ship
   the order given to the crew of a ship that is about to sink to take to the lifeboats
3. to give up completely

   to abandon a habit

   to abandon hope

4. to yield control of or concern in; relinquish

   to abandon office

5. to give up (something begun) before completion

   the game was abandoned

   to abandon a job

6. to surrender (oneself) to emotion without restraint
7. to give (insured property that has suffered partial loss or damage) to the insurers in order that a claim for a total loss may be made

noun

1. freedom from inhibitions, restraint, concern, or worry

   she danced with abandon

Derived Forms

• aˈbandonment, noun

Other Words From

• a·ban·don·a·ble adjective
• a·ban·don·er noun
• a·ban·don·ment noun
• un·a·ban·don·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of abandon¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English verb abando(u)nen, from Middle French abandoner, from Old French (mettre) a bandon “(put) under (someone's) jurisdiction,” equivalent to a “at, to” (from Latin ad; ad- ) + bandon, from Germanic band (unrecorded); bond ¹; noun derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of abandon¹

C14: abandounen (vb), from Old French, from a bandon under one's control, in one's power, from a at, to + bandon control, power

Synonym Study

See desert ². Abandon, relinquish, renounce mean to give up all concern in something. Abandon means to give up or discontinue any further interest in something because of discouragement, weariness, distaste, or the like: to abandon one's efforts. Relinquish implies being or feeling compelled to give up something one would prefer to keep: to relinquish a long-cherished desire. Renounce implies making (and perhaps formally stating) a voluntary decision to give something up: to renounce worldly pleasures.

Related Words

• desert
• discard
• discontinue
• ditch
• drop out
• dump
• leave
• pull out
• quit
• stop
• surrender
• vacate
• withdraw