abandon
gb/əbˈændən/ us/əbˈændən/
B1
English
~ 2200
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
Leave something or someone behind
To go away from someone or something and not come back.
Usage pattern:
to abandon [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'abandon' with 'forget'. 'Abandon' means to leave permanently, not just to fail to remember.
Synonyms
desert (Often used for leaving people in difficult situations, can sound more emotional.)
Antonyms
keep (To continue to have or care for something instead of leaving it.)
Collocations
abandon a child
|abandon a pet
|abandon a plan
|abandon a vehicle
Themes
daily life
|relationships
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They had to abandon the car when it broke down in the snow.
- The soldiers were ordered to abandon their post.
- She felt betrayed when her best friend abandoned her during the crisis.
Learner examples
- I had to abandon my bike in the rain.
- He abandoned his dog when he moved away.
- The family abandoned their home after the storm.
Verb
B1
action
2
Stop doing something before completion
To stop doing something before it is finished.
Usage pattern:
to abandon [a plan/project/activity]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'abandon' with 'cancel'. 'Cancel' means to decide that something will not happen; 'abandon' can also mean stopping something already started.
Synonyms
give up (More informal; can also mean to stop trying in general.)
Antonyms
continue (To keep doing something until it is finished.)
Collocations
abandon a project
|abandon a plan
|abandon an attempt
Themes
work
|planning
|sports
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The company decided to abandon the new product line after poor test results.
- She abandoned her studies to take care of her family.
- We had to abandon the search due to bad weather.
Learner examples
- They abandoned the game because of rain.
- I abandoned my homework when I felt sick.
- We abandoned the trip after the car broke down.
Noun
B2
state
3
Lack of restraint or control
A way of acting that shows you are not worried about rules or what people think.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this noun sense with the verb 'abandon'. The noun refers to a style or manner, not the act of leaving something.
Synonyms
uninhibitedness (More formal and less common, but with similar meaning.)
Antonyms
restraint (Control over one's actions and feelings.)
Collocations
with abandon
|reckless abandon
|wild abandon
Themes
emotions
|behavior
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They danced with complete abandon at the party.
- He spent money with reckless abandon.
- She hugged her children with joyful abandon.
Learner examples
- The children played with abandon in the park.
- He sang with abandon in the shower.
- They ran with abandon on the beach.
Grammar
Dictionary form
abandon
IPA
GB/əbˈændən/
US/əbˈændən/
Syllables & stress
aban - don (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (don)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: abandon
- Plural: abandon
Verb
- Base: abandon
- 3rd Person Singular: abandons
- Present Participle: abandoning
- Past: abandoned
Word family
Forms
abandons
verb
abandoning
verb
abandoned
verb
Core family
abandonment
noun B2
Expressions
abandon ship
1/əbˈændən ʃˈɪp/
fixed phrase
Leave a dangerous situation quickly
To leave a ship or situation quickly because it is dangerous or failing.
Examples
- When the engine caught fire, the captain ordered everyone to abandon ship.
- Investors began to abandon ship as the company's shares fell.
with abandon
1/wˈɪθ əbˈændən/
fixed phrase
Do something without restraint
To do something freely and without caring about rules or limits.
Examples
- She danced with abandon all night long.
- They spent their savings with abandon during their vacation.