abortion
gb/əbˈɔɹʃən/ us/əbˈɔɹʃən/
B2
English
~ 6500
abortusz, terhességmegszakítás, vetélés, spontán abortusz, katasztrófa, förmedvény, paródia
NOUN
B2
1
abortusz
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] has / gets an abortion
She decided to have an abortion after speaking with her doctor and partner.
Miután beszélt az orvosával és a partnerével, úgy döntött, hogy abortuszt végeztet.
The new law makes it harder for women in rural areas to access safe abortion.
Az új törvény megnehezíti a vidéki nők számára, hogy biztonságos abortuszhoz jussanak.
Abortion remains one of the most divisive issues in national politics.
Protesters gathered outside the clinic to demonstrate against abortion.
Learner examples
She chose to have an abortion at the hospital.
Úgy döntött, hogy a kórházban abortuszt végeztet.
Abortion is legal in some countries but not in others.
Az abortusz egyes országokban legális, másokban viszont nem.
They talked for a long time before deciding about the abortion.
The doctor explained the risks of the abortion.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "abortion" with "miscarriage." "Abortion" usually means the pregnancy is ended on purpose, while a "miscarriage" happens naturally without anyone choosing it. Learners also often say "do an abortion" for the patient; in natural English, the patient "has" or "gets" an abortion, and the doctor "performs" an abortion.
Meaning
intentional ending of pregnancy
Collocations
have an abortion
|get an abortion
|abortion rights
|abortion clinic
|abortion law
|abortion access
Synonyms
termination (of pregnancy) (More formal and clinical; often used in medical or legal contexts instead of the more politically loaded word "abortion.")
|
induced abortion (Technical term that clearly contrasts with spontaneous abortion; mainly used in medical writing, not everyday speech.)
Antonyms
birth (Refers to a pregnancy that continues until the baby is delivered, which is the opposite outcome of an abortion.)
|
carry a pregnancy to term (Describes allowing a pregnancy to continue until birth, the opposite of intentionally ending it early.)
Themes
health
|politics
|ethics
|law
Definition
A medical procedure that stops a pregnancy on purpose so the baby is not born.
The intentional ending of a pregnancy through a medical procedure so that it does not result in the birth of a baby.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
2
vetélés
B2
Usage pattern:
spontaneous abortion of [a pregnancy/baby]
The patient was admitted with signs of threatened abortion at ten weeks of gestation.
A beteget a terhesség tizedik hetében fenyegető vetélés jeleivel vették fel.
Her medical history includes two spontaneous abortions and one full-term delivery.
Anamnézisében két spontán vetélés és egy időre történt szülés szerepel.
The study examined the risk factors associated with recurrent abortion in young women.
Learner examples
In medical books, a miscarriage is called a spontaneous abortion.
Az orvosi könyvekben a vetélést spontán abortusznak nevezik.
The doctor wrote "spontaneous abortion" in her medical record.
Az orvos azt írta a kórlapjára: „spontán abortusz”.
Some women have more than one spontaneous abortion in their lives.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this technical use is the same as the everyday word "abortion" meaning an intentional procedure. In medical texts, "abortion" can mean either spontaneous (natural) or induced (intentional), so context like "spontaneous" or "induced" is important.
Meaning
medical term for miscarriage
Collocations
spontaneous abortion
|threatened abortion
|recurrent abortion
|missed abortion
Synonyms
miscarriage (The common everyday word; "abortion" in this sense is mainly used by medical professionals and in medical writing.)
Antonyms
full-term pregnancy (Describes a pregnancy that continues normally until birth, the opposite of a pregnancy that ends early in a spontaneous abortion.)
Themes
health
|medicine
Definition
In medical words, the natural loss of a pregnancy before the baby can live, also called a miscarriage.
In medical language, the natural and unplanned loss of a pregnancy before the fetus can survive outside the uterus; a miscarriage.
NOUN
C2
INFORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
an abortion of a [plan/play/trial]
Critics called the production an abortion of a play that should never have reached the stage.
A kritikusok förmedvénynek nevezték az előadást, amelynek szerintük soha nem lett volna szabad színpadra kerülnie.
The hearing was an abortion of a trial, lacking basic fairness and procedure.
A meghallgatás a tárgyalás paródiája volt: hiányzott belőle az alapvető tisztesség és eljárási rend.
He described the rushed building project as an abortion of a design.
Learner examples
Some people say "an abortion of a play" to mean the play is very bad.
Vannak, akik egy darabra azt mondják, hogy „förmedvény”, ha azt akarják kifejezni, hogy nagyon rossz.
Calling a plan "an abortion" is very strong and can sound rude.
Ha egy tervet „förmedvénynek” nevezünk, az nagyon erős megfogalmazás, és durvának hathat.
This meaning of "abortion" is not common and may offend people.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this use is rare and often offensive. It should be avoided in polite conversation and formal writing because of its strong emotional connection to the main meaning related to pregnancy.
Meaning
something considered a total failure
Collocations
an abortion of a trial
|an abortion of a play
|an abortion of a plan
Synonyms
disaster (Common and less offensive; does not carry the same shock or harshness as calling something "an abortion.")
|
fiasco (Strongly negative like this sense of "abortion," but without the connection to pregnancy and its potential to offend.)
Antonyms
success (Indicates that something went well, the opposite of describing it as an "abortion" meaning a complete failure.)
Themes
criticism
|informal_language
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very strong informal word for something that is done very badly or is a complete failure.
An informal and strongly negative way to describe something as a complete failure, disaster, or very badly done.
Grammar
Dictionary form
abortion
IPA
GB/əbˈɔɹʃən/
US/əbˈɔɹʃən/
Syllables & stress
abor - tion (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tion)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: abortion
- Plural: abortion, abortions
Word family
Forms
abortions
noun
Core family
abort
verb
Related words
abortionist
noun
Negative and opposite forms
anti-abortion
adjective
Advanced or less common
abortive
adjective
Expressions
abortion access
1/əbˈɔɹʃən ˈæksˌɛs/
fixed phrase
ability to obtain abortions
"Abortion access" means how easy or hard it is for people to get an abortion, for example if there are clinics nearby and if it is legal.
Examples
- New regulations have reduced abortion access in rural regions.
- Advocates are working to expand abortion access for low-income women.
- The report compares abortion access in different countries.
abortion clinic
1/əbˈɔɹʃən klˈɪnɪk/
fixed phrase
medical facility for abortions
An "abortion clinic" is a medical place where doctors perform abortions.
Examples
- The nearest abortion clinic is over two hundred miles away.
- Protesters lined the street outside the abortion clinic.
- She called the abortion clinic to ask about the procedure and costs.
abortion rights
1/əbˈɔɹʃən ɹˈaɪts/
fixed phrase
legal rights to abortion
"Abortion rights" are the legal rights that allow people to get an abortion if they choose.
Examples
- The new court ruling has major consequences for abortion rights across the country.
- Students organized a march in support of abortion rights.
- Debate over abortion rights has divided the parliament.
back-alley abortion
1/bˈæk ˈæli əbˈɔɹʃən/
fixed phrase
informal
illegal, unsafe abortion
A "back-alley abortion" is an informal term for an illegal and very unsafe abortion done outside a real clinic.
Examples
- Before the law changed, many women risked their lives with back-alley abortions.
- Historians have documented the dangers of back-alley abortion in the 1960s.
- She fears that new restrictions will drive people toward back-alley abortions again.
get an abortion
1/ɡˈɛt ən əbˈɔɹʃən/
fixed phrase
informal
choose to have an abortion
If a pregnant person "gets an abortion," she chooses to end the pregnancy and goes for the medical procedure.
Examples
- She had to travel to another state to get an abortion.
- He asked her if she wanted to get an abortion or continue the pregnancy.
- Some people think it should be easier to get an abortion safely.
have an abortion
1/hˈæv ən əbˈɔɹʃən/
fixed phrase
undergo an abortion
If a pregnant person "has an abortion," she ends the pregnancy with a medical procedure.
Examples
- She decided to have an abortion after talking with her doctor.
- Many women travel long distances to have an abortion safely.
- He supported his partner's choice to have an abortion.
perform an abortion
1/pɚfˈɔɹm ən əbˈɔɹʃən/
fixed phrase
carry out an abortion
If a doctor "performs an abortion," the doctor does the medical operation to end a pregnancy.
Examples
- Only trained medical staff are allowed to perform an abortion in this hospital.
- He refused to perform an abortion for personal reasons.
- The clinic employs several doctors who perform abortions.
unsafe abortion
1/ʌnsˈeɪf əbˈɔɹʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
medically unsafe abortion
An "unsafe abortion" is an abortion done in a place or in a way that is not safe, often without trained doctors or clean tools.
Examples
- Public health campaigns aim to reduce deaths from unsafe abortion.
- Many women resort to unsafe abortion when legal services are not available.
- The WHO estimates that millions of unsafe abortions occur each year.