ABANDONING Synonyms: 156 Similar and Opposite Words

abandoning

verb

present participle of abandon

as in indulging

to give (oneself) over to something especially unrestrainedly more than ready to abandon himself to a life of complete idleness for the duration of his vacation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in leaving

to cause to remain behind abandoned the group that he had been hiking with and struck out on his own

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in canceling

to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to) the bad weather forced NASA to abandon the launch

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in discontinuing

to stop doing (something) permanently marriage customs that were abandoned decades ago

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of abandoning This is self-transcendence—not abandoning the self but expanding beyond a narrow sense of it. — Yujia Zhu, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Alicent, on the other hand, is abandoning her seat at the table and executing her exit plan, which includes opening the door for the Blacks’s hostile takeover. — The Editors, Vulture, 27 June 2026 While tackling expensive debt is a smart financial decision, abandoning your retirement has consequences. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 1 July 2026 One of Wood’s earliest conversations with Reid centered on abandoning the heeled footwear that helped define earlier versions of the character. — Precious Fondren, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026 Driven by a growing panic over fast-evolving Chinese tech competitors, the old-world rivals are abandoning the tradition of corporate secrecy. — New Atlas, 24 June 2026 Together, Mars in Taurus and Jupiter in Cancer create a productive exchange between action and intuition, encouraging us to pursue growth (and venture outside our comfort zone) without abandoning our need for stability. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026 Now, following intense backlash from local communities, a series of lawsuits and a leadership shakeup at the Department of Homeland Security, the agency appears to be abandoning the initiative – a dramatic shift away from a plan that had already seen spending upwards of $1 billion. — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 June 2026 Your Petition — filed three business days before the deadline, without any supporting information or documentation, and only after abandoning your recent litigation efforts to avoid NCAA sanctions — does not provide a basis for the League to alter those plans. — Justin Williams, New York Times, 23 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abandoning

Verb

Kanaal is king for indulging elevenses hunger pangs, providing cakes, cookies, tea, coffee, and made-to-order traditional Dutch sweets including stroopwafles and puffertjes.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 June 2026
In addition to streamlining operations and closing underperforming restaurants, Adamolekun and Red Lobster are engaging with customers and indulging their nostalgia.

— Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026

Definition of indulging

Verb

Johnston, Cobbins leaving Johnston’s departure comes just three years after becoming the long-term replacement for former County Administrator Doug Bach, who left the government under an $800,000 separation agreement.

— Sofi Zeman July 2, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
Be vigilant about never leaving young children and pets in vehicles without supervision, especially during periods of intense heat, as car interiors can quickly become extremely hot.

— NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 3 July 2026

Definition of leaving

Verb

From premium noise-canceling headphones to budget-friendly wireless earbuds, these are the standout offers still active right now.

— Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 July 2026
The same goes for pedestrians, who increasingly are glued to phones and engrossed in noise-canceling headphones.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of canceling

Verb

Sony is discontinuing physical discs for its PlayStation video game consoles and going fully digital starting in January 2028, the consumer electronics company said on Wednesday.

— Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Ram brought back the Hemi after discontinuing it just a year prior, and General Motors is rolling out a new generation of small-blocks.

— Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 24 June 2026

Definition of discontinuing

Verb

Supporters of 2022 World Cup champions Argentina were among the most visible in Doha during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with some saving for four years and forsaking home-buying in order to make the trip.

— Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
If bigger and better opportunities come along, striking while the iron is hot is a logical course of action, even when moves sometimes appear to make more sense for financial reasons than footballing ones and forsaking the comfort of operating in a stable environment.

— Andy Naylor, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026

Definition of forsaking

Verb

On both counts, though, Book is cautiously optimistic that Congress might reverse course on scrapping those programs.

— Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
Now Starmer is going due to unpopularity, largely self-inflicted, after policy errors including scrapping the pensioners’ winter fuel allowance, hitting small farmers with inheritance tax increases and appointing a close friend of the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein as ambassador to Washington.

— Ian King, CNBC, 24 June 2026

Definition of scrapping

Verb

In an interview with Daily Mail in February 2017, Smith's mother, Virgie Arthur, shared that her daughter once worked at the popular chain restaurant before quitting to work as an exotic dancer at the Executive Suite.

— Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Marcello Hernández recalls quitting soccer to pursue comedy Speaking of the World Cup, Hernández recently attended the Colombia-Portugal match in Miami.

— Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 2 July 2026

Definition of quitting

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“Abandoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abandoning. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of abandoning

verb

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