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Definition of abdication

abdication

/ˌæb.dɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/
ab · di · ca · tion
Plural:abdications
•
Adjective:abdicative
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abdication Lexical Profile

abdication Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The formal act of renouncing or stepping down from a throne, high office, or position of supreme power.

Example

"The monarch's sudden abdication triggered a constitutional crisis across the kingdom."

2

A failure to fulfill or undertake a responsibility, duty, or moral obligation.

Example

"Critics described the committee's refusal to investigate the matter as a complete abdication of leadership."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for abdication

• Nearby Words

abbreviator
abc
abdicate
abdication
abdicator
abdomen
abdominal

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Latin abdicatio ('a disowning or renunciation'), from abdicare ('to disown, renounce, or resign'), formed from ab- ('away from') and dicare ('to proclaim or declare').

Cite this Entry

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