# abortion

/əˈbɔɹʃən/ (US) · /ɐbˈɔːʃən/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. medical termination

noun · CEFR B2

a medical procedure or natural event that ends a pregnancy before the baby is born.

For teachers: the expulsion or removal of an embryo or foetus from the uterus before it is able to survive on its own.

- The law regarding abortion varies significantly from one country to another.
- The clinic provides comprehensive reproductive healthcare services, including counseling for patients considering a medical abortion.

Usage: Often used with the verbs 'have', 'perform', or 'undergo'.

### 2. failure of a project

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of stopping a plan or project before it is finished because it is failing.

For teachers: the premature cessation or abandonment of a project, mission, or process.

- The abortion of the space mission was necessary due to a fuel leak.
- The sudden abortion of the merger talks left investors concerned about the company's long-term stability.

Usage: Commonly used in technical or military contexts regarding missions.

### 3. biological arrest

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

when an organ or part of a plant stops growing before it is fully formed.

For teachers: the arrest of development of an organ or organism, resulting in an imperfect or incomplete formation.

- The disease caused the abortion of the flower buds before they could bloom.
- Genetic mutations can lead to the abortion of limb development during the embryonic stage of the organism.

## Examples

- The law regarding abortion varies significantly from country to country.
- The government is currently debating new legislation that would increase access to safe abortion services.
- Public discourse surrounding abortion often involves a complex intersection of individual rights, medical ethics, and deeply held religious or philosophical convictions.

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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.