abnegate
/'æbnigeit/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To deny or renounce something formally or solemnly: To refuse to accept or acknowledge something, often a belief, right, or responsibility.
- To surrender or relinquish power, a position, or authority: To give up control or a formal role voluntarily.
- To deny oneself something; to practice self-denial: To refrain from indulging in a pleasure or possessing something, often for moral or religious reasons.
Usage and Examples
- To deny or renounce:
- The hermit chose to abnegate all worldly possessions.
- They were forced to abnegate their former allegiances.
- To surrender power or a position:
- The council requested the monarch to abnegate the throne.
- He abnegated his leadership role to focus on his family.
- To deny oneself; to practice self-denial:
- During the fast, she abnegated all solid food.
- He abnegates luxury, preferring a simple life.
Advanced Usage
- "To abnegate responsibility": To formally refuse to accept a duty or obligation.
- The official attempted to abnegate responsibility for the project's failure.
- Used in formal, literary, or religious contexts to describe a complete and often principled rejection or surrender.
Variants and Related Words
- Abnegation (noun): The act of abnegating; self-denial or renunciation.
- His life was one of complete abnegation and service.
- Self-abnegation (noun): The act of denying one's own interests or desires; extreme self-sacrifice.
- Her self-abnegation was admired by all who knew her.
Synonyms
- Renounce: To give up formally.
- Relinquish: To voluntarily let go of something.
- Abdicate: To formally give up a throne or high office (specific to power/position).
- Forgo: To go without, to deny oneself.
Antonyms
- Claim: To assert one's right to something.
- Indulge: To allow oneself to enjoy a pleasure.
- Assert: To state a right or opinion forcefully.
- Retain: To continue to have or hold.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- "A vow of abnegation": A solemn promise to renounce worldly things, common in religious contexts.
- The monk took a vow of poverty and abnegation.
- While "abnegate" itself is not commonly used in phrasal verbs, its noun form appears in set phrases like "spirit of abnegation" denoting a principle of self-sacrifice.
Verb
- deny or renounce
- They abnegated their gods
- surrender (power or a position)
- The King abnegated his power to the ministers
- deny oneself (something); restrain, especially from indulging in some pleasure
- She denied herself wine and spirits