abolish

verb

abol·​ish ə-ˈbä-lish 

abolished; abolishing; abolishes

transitive verb

: to end the observance or effect of (something, such as a law) : to completely do away with (something) : annul

abolish a law

abolish slavery

abolishable

ə-ˈbä-li-shə-bəl 

adjective

abolisher noun

abolishment

ə-ˈbä-lish-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• abate
• abrogate
• annul
• avoid
• cancel
• disannul
• dissolve
• invalidate
• negate
• null
• nullify
• quash
• repeal
• rescind
• roll back
• strike down
• vacate
• void

Examples of abolish in a Sentence

He is in favor of abolishing the death penalty.

the U.S. abolished slavery by constitutional amendment on December 6, 1865

Recent Examples on the Web

The most recent collective bargaining agreement, signed by the players and the league, abolished the college draft and opened the door for every new player to enter the league as a free agent. —Meg Linehan, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025

Others, like the Cato Institute, go one step further and suggest FEMA be abolished entirely, replaced by market solutions and state compacts. —Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025

Only Congress can entirely abolish federal agencies. —Joey Garrison, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025

Forty years later, the Jewish Congressman Emanuel Celler of Brooklyn finally abolished national-origin quotas by passing the Hart-Celler Act, which allowed approximately 600,000 Holocaust survivors to settle in the United States. —Mark Treyger, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abolysshen, borrowed from Middle French aboliss-, stem of abolir "to abolish," borrowed from Latin abolēre "to destroy, efface, put an end to," perhaps formed from abolēscere "to shrivel up, be effaced, fall into disuse," from ab- ab- + -ol-, medial form of the base of alere "to nourish, bring up" + -ēsc-, inchoative suffix — more at old entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for abolish

• demolish
• gaulish
• polish
• smallish

Kids Definition

abolish

verb

abol·​ish ə-ˈbäl-ish 

: to do away with completely : put an end to

abolishable

-ə-bəl 

adjective

abolisher noun

abolishment

-mənt 

noun

Legal Definition

abolish

transitive verb

abol·​ish

: to end the observance or effect of : annul