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Definition of abdicate

abdicate

/ˈæb.dɪ.keɪt/
ab · di · cate
Adjective:abdicative
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Past Simple:abdicated
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Past Participle:abdicated
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Present Participle:abdicating
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abdicate Lexical Profile

abdicate Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To formally renounce or step down from a throne, high office, or position of supreme power.

Example

"The aging monarch decided to abdicate the throne in favor of his eldest daughter."

2

To fail to fulfill, undertake, or uphold a serious duty, role, or responsibility.

Example

"The oversight committee was accused of choosing to abdicate its regulatory responsibilities during the financial crisis."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

abbreviation
abbreviator
abc
abdicate
abdication
abdicator
abdomen

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Latin abdicatus, past participle of abdicare ('to disown, renounce'), formed from ab- ('away from') and dicare ('to proclaim, dedicate').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Abdicate. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/abdicate
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