self-abandonment

self-abandonment

A student shows self-abandonment in her dedication to painting.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • The act of abandoning oneself to a feeling or impulse: "self-abandonment" refers to the state of yielding completely to emotions, desires, or instincts without restraint or self-control.
    • Neglect of one's own interests or well-being: It can also mean the disregard of personal needs, responsibilities, or safety, often in favor of others or a cause.
Usage Examples
  • (Complete surrender to the emotion of the dance.)
  • (Neglect of personal well-being for another person.)
Advanced Usage
  • "self-abandonment to passion": yielding completely to strong emotion.

    • The poet wrote of self-abandonment to love, describing a soul consumed by desire. (Total surrender to the feeling of love.)
  • "self-abandonment in devotion": giving oneself entirely to a religious or spiritual practice.

    • The monk's self-abandonment in prayer was a model of piety. (Complete dedication without self-consciousness.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Self-abandoned (adj): having yielded oneself completely to a feeling or impulse; lacking self-restraint.

    • The self-abandoned crowd cheered wildly at the concert. (The crowd was completely uninhibited.)
  • Abandonment (n): the act of leaving someone or something behind; also, the state of being given up.

    • The abandonment of the project was a disappointment. (The act of giving up the project.)
Synonyms
  • Surrender: the act of giving up control or resistance.
  • Unreservedness: the quality of being open and without restraint.
  • Self-neglect: the failure to care for oneself adequately.
Related Idioms
  • Let oneself go: to become less restrained or less concerned with appearances.

    • After the divorce, he let himself go and stopped caring about his diet. (He engaged in self-abandonment regarding his health.)
  • Throw caution to the wind: to act without worrying about the risks.

    • She threw caution to the wind and danced in the rain. (She showed self-abandonment by acting impulsively.)