abnegate

verb

ˈab-ni-ˌgāt How to pronounce abnegate (audio)
Definition of abnegatenext
1
as in to relinquish
to give up (as a position of authority) formally abnegated all claims to the deceased lord's domain

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to renounce
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to) felt that if the Congress adopted these security measures, it would be abnegating the nation's fundamental commitment to individual rights

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 abnegate Her sins are the sins of loving too much and in too self-abnegating a fashion. — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2023 Abnegating this responsibility is going against the will of the people and we were voted in to protect the interests of the people. — Jan Engoren, Sun-Sentinel.com, 6 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abnegate
  1. relinquish
  2. renounce
  3. abdicate
  4. withdraw
  5. resign
  6. retract
  7. deny
Verb
  • Although dozens of islands were claimed through this process, the overwhelming bulk of these claims were relinquished in the late 20th century as the island countries of Oceania began to achieve independence.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But the pro-Israel lobby is not relinquishing its political power, evidenced by its move to give more than $9 million to support Mike Rogers in Michigan Senate race.
    — Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of relinquish
Verb
  • Advertisement Several branches of the Japanese imperial family renounced their royal status in 1947 to cut down on costs the monarchy incurred after the war.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The plan is to find candidates from families that renounced their royal status in 1947, which at the time was to ease the postwar financial burden on the monarchy.
    — Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of renounce
Verb
  • Naruhito assumed the duties of emperor, a position with ceremonial roles but no political power, after his father Akihito abdicated earlier in the year.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • After both sisters had abdicated planning the memorial, logistical matters—the casket and its transport, the readings, and, yes, the flowers—had fallen to the front desk volunteer of a church my grandmother no longer attended.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of abdicate
Verb
  • The man fell into a coma and succumbed to the disease on October 9, 2026, after life support was withdrawn.
    — Sahas Mehra, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2026
  • As joyful crowds took to the streets to celebrate the students' victory on Sunday, some in the crowd stoned the withdrawing police and dismantled a camp used by Vucic loyalists in a park in central Belgrade for more than a year.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of withdraw
Verb
  • Link resigned from office before pleading guilty to unrelated tax evasion charges in September 2020.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Resigned in September 2025 Storey resigned in September 2025 as pastor of Curé of Ars Catholic Church amid an investigation into a separate issue.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of resign
Verb
  • Following launch, the mechanism can retract into the container, preserving the system’s compact configuration for transportation and storage.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The analysis shows how severely the department’s Office for Civil Rights has retracted from its mission, launching an average of about 100 new investigations a month — 1,839 total from Inauguration Day in 2025 through July 2026.
    — Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of retract
Verb
  • The brothers, through their spokesmen, denied the allegations.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The two sides have clashed mightily over data centers, which are broadly unpopular with the public and which the No campaign says could make a bid for the streamlined permitting process, something the Yes side strenuously denies.
    — Andrew Graham October 27, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of deny

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Cite this Entry

“Abnegate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abnegate. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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