WordValeabandon
to give up completely
In more detail
1. (verb) to leave someone or something permanently, especially when you have a responsibility to care for them
2. (verb) to stop doing something before it is finished
3. (verb) to leave a place, usually in a hurried or forced way
Examples
- 1. The dog was abandoned by its owner at the shelter.
- 2. She abandoned her career to raise her children.
- 3. The passengers abandoned ship when it started sinking.
How to use abandon
Abandon conveys a sense of permanent departure or cessation, often with negative connotations of duty or obligation being breached. It is stronger and more deliberate than simply 'leave,' and typically implies that the person or thing left behind is in a worse position because of this action. The tone can be neutral (describing a fact) or disapproving (suggesting moral failure).
Common phrases
- abandon ship
- abandon hope
- abandon a plan
- abandon a child
- abandon responsibility
- forced to abandon
Synonyms
desert · forsake · leave · relinquish · give up
Opposites
keep · maintain · support
Word family
abandoned · abandonment · abandoning
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use 'abandon' for temporary or casual departures (e.g., 'I abandoned my bag at the café') when 'left' or 'forgot' would be more appropriate; abandon implies permanence or serious consequence.
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