abandon
[verb]
Synonyms:
- leave, desert, forsake, strand
- give up, relinquish, surrender, yield
[noun]
Synonyms:
- wildness, recklessness

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Antonyms: reclaim, retain, self-restraint
Contrasted words: hold, keep, possess, retain, redeem, rescue, save, acquire, gain, get, procure, win, cherish, foster, constraint, inhibitedness, inhibition, restraint, repression, suppression
Related Idioms: have done with, leave flat, quit cold, run out on, turn one's back on (or upon), walk out on
Related Words: cast (off), discard, disuse, drop, junk, scrap, reject, repudiate, freedom, liberty, license, exuberance, heedlessness, laxity, laxness, looseness, unruliness, wildness, incontinence, licentiousness, wantonness, fun, games, play, sport

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. a‧ban‧don¹ W3 AC /əˈbændən/ verb [transitive]
[Word Family: verb: abandon; noun: abandonment; adjective: abandoned]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: abondoner, from abandon 'surrendering', from a bandon 'into someone's power']

1. to leave someone, especially someone you are responsible for ⇒ abandoned:
How could she abandon her own child?

2. to go away from a place, vehicle etc permanently, especially because the situation makes it impossible for you to stay Synonym : leave ⇒ abandoned:
We had to abandon the car and walk the rest of the way.
Fearing further attacks, most of the population had abandoned the city.

3. to stop doing something because there are too many problems and it is impossible to continue:
The game had to be abandoned due to bad weather.
They abandoned their attempt to recapture the castle.
Because of the fog they abandoned their idea of driving.

4. to stop having a particular idea, belief, or attitude:
They were accused of abandoning their socialist principles.
Rescuers had abandoned all hope of finding any more survivors.

5. abandon yourself to something literary to feel an emotion so strongly that you let it control you completely:
She abandoned herself to grief.

6. abandon ship to leave a ship because it is sinking
—abandonment noun [uncountable]

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. abandon² noun [uncountable]
if someone does something with abandon, they behave in a careless or uncontrolled way, without thinking or caring about what they are doing
with reckless/wild abandon
They drank and smoked with reckless abandon.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

abandon
verb
I. leave sb/sth
ADV. hastily The village had been hastily abandoned.
PHRASES be found/left abandoned The car was found abandoned in a nearby town.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

abandon
II. stop doing/supporting sth
ADV. altogether, completely, entirely, totally The government does not propose to abandon the project altogether.
effectively, largely, virtually This principle has now been effectively abandoned.
simply Traditional policies were simply abandoned.
formally | quickly | quietly The plans for reform were quietly abandoned.
temporarily | voluntarily
VERB + ABANDON be forced to | decide to
PREP. for He abandoned the army for politics.
in favour of She abandoned teaching career in favour of sport.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

abandon
verb
1.
BAD: Since capital punishment was abandoned, the crime rate has increased.
GOOD: Since capital punishment was abolished, the crime rate has increased.

Usage Note:
abandon = give up a plan, activity or attempt to do something, without being successful: 'Bad weather forced them to abandon the search.' 'Without government support, the project will have to be abandoned.'
abolish = remove a law, tradition or system, often by introducing a new law; do away with: 'In which year was slavery abolished in the United States?' 'I'd hate to see the monarchy abolished.'

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2.
BAD: It is difficult to reach abandoned places such as small country villages.
GOOD: It is difficult to reach remote places such as small country villages.

Usage Note:
abandoned = left for ever by the owners or occupiers: 'The field was littered with abandoned cars.' 'Some of these old abandoned coal mines could be dangerous.'
remote = far away and difficult to reach: 'The tribe lives in a small remote mountain village.' 'We have now managed to bring famine relief to people in even the most remote areas.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲