Foundation level · Year 4 · free

abandon

verb · Say it: /əˈbændən/

What it means

Foundation

To 'abandon' means to leave something or someone behind when they still need you. Imagine if you left your toys outside in the rain and didn’t bring them back inside. You’ve abandoned them. It’s like walking away from something important and not coming back.

Tom abandoned his homework on the table when he went out to play without finishing it.

Similar and opposite words

Synonyms (similar meaning)

desert
forsake
give up
leave
quit

Antonyms (opposite meaning)

cherish
keep
retain
stay with
support

More examples

The old house was abandoned when everyone moved to a new city.
During the storm, they had to abandon their picnic and run back home.

Where the word comes from

The word 'abandon' comes from an old French word 'abandoner' which meant to give something over to someone else. Imagine in the past, someone gave up taking care of something and left it for others.

Try a quick question

One question about “abandon”, the way 11+ papers ask it (Foundation level).