abolition

noun

ab·​o·​li·​tion ˌa-bə-ˈli-shᵊn How to pronounce abolition (audio)
1
: the act of officially ending or stopping something : the act of abolishing something
abolition of the death penalty
2
: the act of officially ending slavery
a proponent of abolition
abolitionary adjective

Examples of abolition in a Sentence

the abolition of a law calls for the abolition of the death penalty
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Both were ministers who left their pulpits to fight for abolition, leading two of the first Black regiments at a time when the Army would not commission Black officers. Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024 Law enforcement spending and the concept of police abolition have become divisive issues in the De León-Jurado contest, as well as in the council race between former State Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian and small-business owner Jillian Burgos. Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024 For example, several filmmakers speak openly about the idea of prison abolition on day two, which is dedicated to films about prisons made by people who have never served time, judged by a jury of men currently serving at San Quentin. Selome Hailu, Variety, 16 Oct. 2024 Takeaways for the Termination of Departments and Agencies The primary lesson here is that true agency abolition is rare, and the corresponding deregulation rarer still. Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for abolition 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French abolition, borrowed from Latin abolitiōn-, abolitiō, from aboli-, variant stem of abolēre "to abolish" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of abolition was in 1529

Dictionary Entries Near abolition

Cite this Entry

“Abolition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abolition. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

abolition

noun
ab·​o·​li·​tion ˌab-ə-ˈlish-ən How to pronounce abolition (audio)
1
: the act of officially ending or stopping something : the act of abolishing
2
: the abolishing of slavery
abolitionary adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on abolition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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