as in to cancel
to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to)
had to abort the mission to Mars when they lost contact with the satellite
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Recent Examples of abort
An investigation by the Spanish outlet La Marea uncovered contracts that restricted women’s movements during pregnancy, including clauses prohibiting travel abroad or aborting the fetus.
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Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025
In the event that an operator aborts an interception, the drone will fly back to base ready to be used again — a potential major cost-saver.
—Alex Holmes, NBC news, 12 Nov. 2025
In May, the FAA barred the Army from flying helicopters near the Pentagon after a May 1 close call that forced two civilian planes to abort landings.
—David Shepardson, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
Washington — The first officer of a United Express flight that ran off the end of a wet runway in Roanoke, Virginia last month tried to get the captain to abort the landing twice, investigators say.
—Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abort
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abort
Verb
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That band faces a similar situation as Mariachi Joya Azteca, with at least two major events canceled in 2025.—
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The Anker 737 Power Bank keeps multiple devices running and charging, from your phone to your noise-canceling headphones, without weighing down your bag.—
Verb
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The Miami Hurricanes are at home, while the entire state of Indiana – save for some in West Lafayette – is content to abandon their homes to enjoy this unexpectedly stupefying playoff march.—
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Season One concludes with the Texas Tech geology graduate abandoning a well crew after tragedy strikes, only to achieve rapid success in his personal and work endeavors.—
Verb
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While multiple sources familiar with the holiday events deny online rumors that Mar-a-Lago threatened to revoke the memberships of guests who took photos of Barron over the holidays, insiders tell PEOPLE that there's an unspoken rule about how to treat the most private member of the first family.—
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Colbert was sentenced to 25 years in prison in Orleans Parish in May, after a judge revoked her probation in a similar but unrelated case.—
Verb
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The proposal comes on the heels of a sweeping provision slipped in late last legislative session that required colleges to scrap programs that fell below a certain enrollment quota.—
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As more ocean carriers appear to show an openness to returning to the Red Sea on a limited basis, Maersk reportedly scrapped a long-time fee last month for one of its container vessels that transited the Suez Canal.—
Cite this Entry
“Abort.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abort. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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