abdication
noun
ab·di·ca·tion
ˌab-di-ˈkā-shən 
plural abdications
: an act of abdicating: such as
a
: an act of giving up sovereign power or high office
The desire of King Edward VIII to marry divorced U.S. socialite Wallis Simpson led to the king's abdication in 1936, an event that also brought Harry, his father Prince Charles and his brother, Prince William, into the line of succession.—
Martha Ross
Martha RossFrom the advent of Alexander the Great, in 332 B.C., to the abdication of King Farouk, in 1952, the country was ruled without interruption by non-Egyptians.—Milton Viorst
Milton Viorst
b
: an act of abandoning or discarding a right, responsibility, etc.
an abdication of authority
The militants took the liberties of Europe as a sign of moral and political abdication.—Fouad Ajami
Fouad AjamiWhen the majority throws up its hands because the problems are too tough, that's simply an abdication of responsibility.—Michael S. Serrill
Michael S. SerrillExamples of abdication in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Southeast Asian countries fear not just the serious loss of access to U.S. investment and the American market but also the United States’ abdication of its economic leadership—the ceding of its historical role in shaping the economic architecture of the region to others.
—Yuen Foong Khong, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Considering who those people may be in your life is actually quite helpful long term, so consider this a cleansing moment rather than an abdication of your responsibilities.
—Nancy Doyle, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich recently told Fox News Digital that there should not be an expectation of abdication, despite the King’s health issues.
—Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 19 May 2025
The only definite thing is that an abdication would be a significant departure from all tradition.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abdication
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Yuen Foong Khong, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Considering who those people may be in your life is actually quite helpful long term, so consider this a cleansing moment rather than an abdication of your responsibilities.
—Nancy Doyle, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich recently told Fox News Digital that there should not be an expectation of abdication, despite the King’s health issues.
—Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 19 May 2025
The only definite thing is that an abdication would be a significant departure from all tradition.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abdication
Cite this Entry
“Abdication.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abdication. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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