What does "abdicate" mean?

1. (to give up a throne) to officially step down from being a king, queen, or leader. 2. (to fail a duty) to stop doing a job or responsibility that you should be doing.

How do you use "abdicate"?

Can be used with or without a direct object; when transitive, the object is usually 'the throne' or 'power'. Almost always takes a direct object like 'responsibility', 'duty', or 'role'.

abdicate

US //ˈæbdəˌkeɪt// UK //ˈæbdɪkˌeɪt// ab·di·cate

1 to give up a throne (v.)
C1 Advanced Formal

to officially step down from being a king, queen, or leader.

to formally renounce or relinquish sovereign power or a high office. Often used intransitively when referring to a monarch.

Example

The king decided to abdicate so his son could lead the country.

Example

Faced with overwhelming public pressure and a fractured parliament, the emperor chose to abdicate the throne in favour of his youngest daughter.

Usage

Can be used with or without a direct object; when transitive, the object is usually 'the throne' or 'power'.
- claim
- seize
2 to fail a duty (v.)
C1 Advanced Formal

to stop doing a job or responsibility that you should be doing.

to fail to fulfill or undertake a duty or responsibility. Transitive use, often appearing in the phrase 'abdicate responsibility'.

Example

The government must not abdicate its responsibility to protect the environment.

Example

Critics argued that the board had abdicated its fiduciary duties by failing to investigate the CEO's questionable financial transactions.

Usage

Almost always takes a direct object like 'responsibility', 'duty', or 'role'.

Origin

First attested in 1532; borrowed from Latin abdicātus (“renounced”), perfect passive participle of abdicō (“to renounce, reject, disclaim”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), formed from ab (“away”) + dicō (“proclaim, dedicate, declare”), akin to dīcō (“to say”). Compare Middle English abdicat (“forsaken, renounced”).