# abolish

/əˈbɑɫɪʃ/ (US) · /ɐbˈɒlɪʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/abolish
Updated: 2026-05-01

## Senses

### 1. to end a law or system

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to officially end a law, a system, or a traditional way of doing things.

For teachers: to formally and legally terminate a law, system, or social institution.

- Many countries decided to abolish the death penalty in the last century.
- The parliament voted overwhelmingly to abolish the outdated tax system, replacing it with a more equitable framework for small businesses.

Usage: This verb is transitive and almost always takes an abstract noun like 'slavery', 'tax', or 'law' as its object.

### 2. to destroy completely

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

to completely destroy or wipe something out.

For teachers: to destroy, annihilate, or reduce to nothing.

- The ancient city was abolished by the fire until nothing remained.
- The commander sought to abolish every trace of the rebellion, ensuring that no record of the uprising would survive for future generations.

Teaching tip: This physical sense is archaic; modern speakers use 'destroy' or 'demolish' for physical objects.

## Examples

- The government plans to abolish the old tax law next year.
- Many activists campaigned for decades to abolish the death penalty before the new law finally passed.
- While the 13th Amendment was designed to abolish slavery, the transition to a free labor system faced significant legal and social resistance throughout the Reconstruction era.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.