Word
abdicator
Phoneticsab·di·ca·tor
Definitions
01one who renounces power
n. a person who officially gives up a powerful position, such as a throne.
n. one who formally renounces a high office, sovereign power, or a throne.
“The king became an abdicator after deciding he could no longer lead his country.”
“History remembers him as a reluctant abdicator, forced to surrender his crown during the political upheaval of the mid-century revolution.”
Formal
Usage
The noun is countable and typically refers to political or royal contexts.
Teaching tip
This word is rare in modern speech; 'abdication' is much more common than the person-noun 'abdicator'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02one who fails in duty
n. someone who stops doing their job or responsibility when they should continue.
n. one who fails to fulfill a duty or responsibility.
“Critics called the manager an abdicator for leaving the team during the crisis.”
“The board viewed the CEO as an abdicator of his fiduciary duties following the collapse of the merger.”
Formal
Usage
Often used with 'of' to specify the responsibility being abandoned.
Teaching tip
Use this sense to describe a moral or professional failure rather than a legal resignation.
Synonyms
Etymology
From abdicate + -or.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.