Word
abandonment
Phoneticsaban·don·ment
US/əˈbændənmənt/
UK/ɐbˈændənmənt/
Definitions
01leaving someone or something
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the act of leaving a person, place, or thing forever.
n. the act of deserting or permanently leaving a person, place, or object to whom one has an obligation or attachment.
“The abandonment of the old village happened after the local factory closed down.”
“The sudden abandonment of the project left several contractors with unpaid invoices and no clear point of contact for legal recourse.”
Antonyms
02giving up a right
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Law Formal · Technical
n. giving up a legal right, a claim, or a piece of property.
n. the voluntary relinquishment of a legal right, claim, privilege, or interest in property.
“The lawyer explained that the abandonment of the claim meant they could not ask for money later.”
“Under maritime law, the abandonment of the vessel to the underwriters allowed the shipping company to claim for a total loss.”
Usage
Often used in contexts involving patents, insurance, or property law.
Antonyms
03lack of inhibition
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Literary
n. a feeling of being completely free or losing control of your emotions.
n. a state of complete lack of inhibition or restraint; surrendering oneself to an impulse or emotion.
“She danced with total abandonment, not caring who was watching her.”
“The crowd cheered with wild abandonment as the final goal was scored in the closing seconds of the match.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “abandonment” in context.
Verb
01. cope with abandonment
“The therapy sessions helped him cope with the abandonment he experienced as a child.”
verb + prep + noun
02. fear abandonment
“Children who have lost a parent often fear abandonment in their future relationships.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. reckless abandonment
“She danced with reckless abandonment, completely ignoring the crowd around her.”
adj + noun
04. sudden abandonment
“The sudden abandonment of the project left many employees without jobs.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. abandonment issues
“His difficulty in trusting others stems from his childhood abandonment issues.”
noun + noun
06. feelings of abandonment
“Moving to a new city can sometimes trigger deep feelings of abandonment.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
07. in abandonment
“The old factory was left in abandonment for decades before it was finally demolished.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Even as Leda hypocritically judges Nina for struggling in the way that she once did, she is forced to come to terms with her own temporary abandonment of her daughters.” “Additional data on large herbivores and historical climate conditions helped the team evaluate whether environmental changes or other factors contributed to the site's abandonment.” Etymology
Borrowed from French abandonnement, from abandonner (“to abandon, relinquish”). abandonner was originally equivalent to mettre à bandon (“to leave to the jurisdiction, i.e. of another”), bandon being from Medieval Latin bandum, bannum (“order, decree, ban”). Equivalent to abandon + -ment. (See also English banns.)
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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