1
as in indulging
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
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2
as in leaving
to cause to remain behind
abandoned the group that he had been hiking with and struck out on his own
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3
as in canceling
to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to)
the bad weather forced NASA to abandon the launch
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4
as in discontinuing
to stop doing (something) permanently
marriage customs that were abandoned decades ago
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abandoning
However, that action then sparked outrage among many residents who felt the city was abandoning homeless residents, while also trying to push them to other cities.
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Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
At the same time, demand for nonalcoholic alternatives has surged — even as most consumers continue to drink alcohol in moderation rather than abandoning it altogether.
—Jason Mastrodonato, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
Prosecutors said the couple collected millions in installment payments for custom architecture, construction and interior design services, often offering below-market bids, before abandoning projects — in some cases leaving families without livable homes.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Corpus Christi, Texas — The judge overseeing the trial of a former school police officer accused of abandoning children during a massacre halted testimony on Tuesday and told jurors not to come to court on Wednesday.
—Shimon Prokupecz, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
Gonzales is charged with 29 counts of abandoning or endangering a child, according to court records.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 6 Jan. 2026
His parents were consumed by their obsession, and when the pressure became unbearable, Aden ran, abandoning his younger siblings, Aliza and Sammy, in the process.
—Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
The man managed to drive away before abandoning the vehicle.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 5 Jan. 2026
Some of the subpoenaed nonprofits, including FLI, Ekō, and Legal Advocates for Safe Science and Technology, have also been publicly critical of Musk and xAI for, among other things, neglecting or abandoning their commitments to AI safety.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abandoning
Verb
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What’s gained by indulging our doom?—
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But Septime Webre’s choreography is supposed to have the air of wild and sometimes frenzied social dancing, of Charlestons and Fox Trots and Black Bottoms, of indulging the glorious excesses of the 1920s before the greedier side of the American Dream comes crashing down a few years later.—
Verb
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Limited backup power could knock out internet access, leaving millions to wait for instant answers.—
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Vatti said Diamantis made an $80,000 payment on the day after signing the retainer and made an additional six payments totalling $105,000 between August 2024 and February 2025, leaving the $65,000 balance.—
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From a portable power bank to keep your phone charged to noise-canceling headphones that will drown out stressful sounds, these travel accessories will help nervous fliers and frequent travelers alike have easier journeys.—
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But in Japan, there’s no legal recourse and canceling a location shoot with short notice is an accepted part of the culture.—
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The report also said that General Motors executives have discussed discontinuing some electric trucks, too, citing people familiar with the matter.—
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The states’ lawsuit warned that discontinuing the grant funding would irreparably harm students, leaving many rural and low-income schools without mental health providers or services critical to students’ safety and well-being.—
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Green Bay has struggled mightily against the run, surrendering an average of 198 rushing yards in the last three games.—
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The suspect drove around the area before surrendering to police in Atwater Village.—
Verb
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Dufton, who was born with a rare degenerative condition called rod-cone dystrophy, talks with Lee Cowan about how losing his sight did not lead to him forsaking his potential.—
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So forsaking crossing instead of cacciatore makes infinite sense.—
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The company ended up scrapping it and keeping its old branding.—
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The White House says scrapping prior legal pathways and protections is part of its goal.—
Verb
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At the same time, layoff activity remained low in November, along with the rate of people quitting their jobs.—
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Those quitting Ozempic, Wegovy and other drugs regained weight four times faster than those using just diet and exercise, still key components in weight maintenance.—
Cite this Entry
“Abandoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abandoning. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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