abandoning
Giving up on
Abandoning is leaving something behind permanently or giving it up entirely.
You abandon a sinking ship, a failing project, or a hopeless cause.
The word carries weight—abandoning a child or pet suggests moral failure, while abandoning a plan is simply practical.
They're abandoning the downtown office for a suburban campus.
She's not abandoning her principles, just her tactics.
Renouncing or abandoning completely
- betrayalBreaking of trust
- strandingLeaving helplessly isolated
- marooningAbandoning in isolation
- jiltingAbruptly ending courtship
defecting · disowning · disloyalty · dereliction · disaffection · renouncing · repudiating · disavowing
Cease resistance, yield
- yieldingBending under pressure
- forfeitingLosing as penalty
- cedingFormally surrendering territory or rights
- waivingVoluntarily abandoning entitlement
abdicating · abdication · renunciation · letting go · giving up · releasing · dropping · quitting
Act of going away
- exitWay to leave
- departureAct of going away
- evacuationRemoval from danger
- exodusMass departure from somewhere
fleeing · escape · retreat · vacating · emigration · relocation · decampment · parting
forsaking
Renouncing or abandoning completely
jilting · defecting · disowning · disloyalty · dereliction · disaffection · renouncing · repudiating · disavowing · abjuring
surrender
Cease resistance, yield
- yieldingBending under pressure
- forfeitingLosing as penalty
- cedingFormally surrendering territory or rights
waiving · abdicating · abdication · renunciation · letting go · giving up · releasing · dropping · quitting · discontinuing
leaving
Act of going away
- exitWay to leave
- departureAct of going away
- evacuationRemoval from danger
exodus · fleeing · escape · retreat · vacating · emigration · relocation · decampment · parting · disappearance
- letting downdisappointing, failing, betraying, neglecting, standing up
- leavingdeparture, quit, walking away, withdrawing, bail
- letting goletting go, forgive, giving up, let go, relinquishing
- mistreatmentbullying, harassing, intimidating, oppressing, humiliating
- repudiatingrenouncing, disclaiming, rejecting, disavowing, disowning
- phasing outphasing out, sunsetting, discontinuing, retiring, deprecating
abandoningdefending
Protecting against harm
supporting · standing by · upholding · embracing · protecting
abandoningkeeping
Holding in custody
retaining · getting · recovering · reclaiming · acquiring
abandoningpersisting
Continuing through difficulty
persevering · continuing · carrying on · maintaining · sustaining
- abandoning shipFleeing a failing vessel
abandon, abandoned, abandonment, abandons, abandonments, abandon ship