abolition

noun

ab·​o·​li·​tion ˌa-bə-ˈli-shᵊn How to pronounce abolition (audio)
Synonyms of abolitionnext
1
: the act of officially ending or stopping something : the act of abolishing something
abolition of the death penalty
2
: the act of officially ending slavery
a proponent of abolition
abolitionary
ˌa-bə-ˈli-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce abolition (audio)
-ˌne-rē
adjective

Synonyms of abolition

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Examples of abolition in a Sentence

the abolition of a law calls for the abolition of the death penalty
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
More than 160 years later, Brown is still remembered for giving his life to the cause of abolition. — Marissa J. Lang, NPR, 26 June 2026 Elizabeth Cady Stanton led the early battle for women’s suffrage and for the abolition of slavery. — Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2026 Nancy Giles explores how Douglass used the early photographic medium to promote the cause of abolition. — David Morgan, CBS News, 26 June 2026 Like most Democrats at the time, they were aligned with the South, opposed to abolition, and believed that states, rather than the federal government, should decide whether to prohibit chattel slavery. — Christopher Lynch, The Conversation, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for abolition

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French abolition, borrowed from Latin abolitiōn-, abolitiō, from aboli-, variant stem of abolēre "to abolish" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of abolition was in 1529

Rhymes for abolition

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Browse Nearby Words

abolishment
abolition
abolitionary
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Cite this Entry

“Abolition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abolition. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

abolition

noun
ab·​o·​li·​tion ˌab-ə-ˈlish-ən How to pronounce abolition (audio)
1
: the act of officially ending or stopping something : the act of abolishing
2
: the abolishing of slavery
abolitionary
-ˈlish-ə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce abolition (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on abolition

Nglish: Translation of abolition for Spanish Speakers

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