abject

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'abject' is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is an adjective which means 'utterly unhappy and lacking hope' or 'being of the most miserable kind'. For example, "The family was in an abject state of poverty."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

After all, as both a former and prospective host of MTV's Punk'd, they obviously have an affinity with abject dreadfulness.

The Guardian - Film

The Toon might even register only their third win of the calendar year against West Ham, who have been abject themselves since suffering a dreadful thrashing in the FA Cup at West Brom in February.

The Guardian - Sport

He says the ONS figures show that the coalition's attempts to control migration have been "an abject failure".

The Guardian

Lamb has made no attempt to hide his anger at the slow progress, acknowledging the programme has proved an abject failure and describing it in an interview with the Health Service Journal as "utterly hopeless" and his "most depressing and frustrating task".

The Guardian

"She looked at me with this look of abject terror – this horror, this disgust, this revulsion – and she screamed," he told the ABC.

The Guardian

This is an abject national failure on every possible level.

The Guardian - Opinion

Not having breakfast is a surefire downward spiral to abject misery, hence the genius of this week's theme.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The evening sun had barely dipped behind the OCS Stand; the boos rang out, fueled by the booze, but hardly unjustified after an abject display from some highly compensated players.

The Guardian - Sport

Confronted by media power, political leaders were not always so abject.

The Guardian - Opinion

Hence the inquest, hence the fuss, hence the hospital's abject apology and the CQC's official statement.

The Guardian

It is something we might rather have than not, since people generally prefer not being in abject poverty, but wealth does not make a fundamental contribution to human happiness.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "abject" to describe extreme states of misery, degradation, or hopelessness, ensuring the context aligns with its strong negative connotation.

Common error

Avoid using "abject" for situations that are merely unpleasant or unfortunate; reserve it for truly dire circumstances to maintain its impact.

Linguistic Context

The word "abject" functions primarily as an adjective, modifying nouns to describe a state of extreme degradation, misery, or hopelessness. Ludwig indicates that it is a correct and usable term.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Formal & Business

22%

Science

24%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "abject" is a grammatically sound adjective used to describe extreme states of misery, degradation, or hopelessness. Ludwig highlights its frequent use across various domains, including news, formal writing, and academia. The high source quality and consistent usage support its appropriateness in formal and neutral contexts. When considering alternatives, carefully choose phrases that accurately reflect the intended depth of negativity. As confirmed by Ludwig, "abject" remains a powerful and correct choice for emphasizing severe circumstances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

utterly miserable

Focuses on the extreme unhappiness and suffering.

completely degraded

Emphasizes the loss of status or moral character to the fullest extent.

thoroughly wretched

Highlights the state of being deeply unfortunate or unhappy.

absolutely hopeless

Underscores the complete lack of hope or positive prospects.

profoundly humiliating

Stresses the deep sense of shame and loss of dignity.

extremely servile

Highlights the excessive willingness to serve or obey others.

deeply pathetic

Focuses on the ability to cause feelings of pity and sorrow.

intensely degrading

Emphasizes the severity of the act of lowering someone's status or character.

thoroughly despicable

Highlights the utter worthlessness and deserving of contempt.

utterly contemptible

Emphasizes the absolute lack of worth and deserving of scorn.

FAQs

How to use "abject" in a sentence?

You can use "abject" to describe conditions or feelings of extreme degradation or hopelessness, such as "abject poverty" or "abject terror".

What can I say instead of "abject"?

Alternatives include "utterly miserable", "completely degraded", or "thoroughly wretched" depending on the specific shade of meaning you want to convey.

Is it correct to use "abject" to describe a minor inconvenience?

No, "abject" is reserved for describing extreme conditions or feelings of misery, degradation, or hopelessness. Using it for a minor inconvenience would be an overstatement.

What's the difference between "abject" and "deplorable"?

"Abject" emphasizes the extreme state of being degraded or hopeless, while "deplorable" focuses on the quality of being shockingly bad. While they can overlap, "abject" often refers to a condition, and "deplorable" to a situation or action.