abnegate

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "abnegate" is correct and usable in written English.
It means to deny oneself something of value or to deny oneself any pleasure or luxury. Example sentence: Gwyneth chose to abnegate her favorite food and exercise regularly to reach her weight-loss goals.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

It has come to mean, according to news analyst Sally Kohn, who gave a TED talk on the subject, the kind of non-story or degrading nonsense that proliferates online when we abnegate our ethical codes as we turn on our computers.

The Guardian

To the Editor: As a private tutor in the Washington, D.C., area, I've seen a troubling consequence of tutoring for some families: parents interpret the presence of outside tutors as a cue to abnegate their own participation in their children's intellectual development.

The New York Times

To assess a woman on other traits – experience, intelligence, application – would be to abnegate our animal instincts.

The Guardian - Opinion

abdicate, abnegate and abrogate all have different meanings.

The Guardian

Charles Edwards, who both directs and designs this Opera North production, hedges his bets, stripping the stage to the rear loading bay, as if both to confirm that we are in a theatre and abnegate the theatricality of a work conceived for concert performance.

The Guardian - Music

Here, then, is the gospel according to Mel Gibson: Christ's discovery in Gethsemane, an invented melodramatic arraignment in the middle of the night by the Jewish elders, Pontius Pilate's weary attempt to abnegate responsibility and Jesus's torture and crucifixion - with a very great amount of explicit screen time devoted to the torture.

The Guardian - Film

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

14 human-written examples

In any case, it said, there is no constitutional provision for referendums (although given the government's habit of rewriting the legal rules at will, it surely could have found a way to organise one).József Szajer, a Fidesz MEP who wrote much of the new constitution on his now-famous iPad, said that the opposition had abnegated their responsibility to voters by refusing to take part.

The Economist

With Schoenberg, and soon also his friend the young composer Alban Berg, Webern explored new dimensions of musical expression, leading to the breakthrough that established "atonality"—a revolutionary concept abnegating the necessity of a governing tonal centre.

Encyclopedia Britannica

His yen to perform in the theatre and the lecture hall had its self-abnegating, modest side, and there was a generosity, too, in the topics he chose to address, with his ebbing novelistic powers, after the war: feminist issues in "Cass Timberlane" (1945) and "World So Wide" (1951), racism in "Kingsblood Royal" (1947), a melodramatic, slashing book that blacks liked more than whites.

The New Yorker

Adam abnegated humanity with his act.

The New Yorker

As I say in the book, you spend weeks abnegating yourself and scheming for it, and then you're kicked out after 20 minutes, and you realize: "Nothing actually was said".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing legal contexts, use "abnegate" to convey the voluntary surrender of a right or claim, underscoring the formal nature of the action.

Common error

Avoid using "abnegate" when a simpler term like "give up" or "reject" suffices. "Abnegate" carries a weight of self-denial that may be inappropriate for everyday situations. Reserve its usage for situations where the act of renunciation is significant and intentional.

Linguistic Context

The primary function of "abnegate" is to act as a transitive verb, signifying the action of renouncing or rejecting something, typically a desire, right, or belief. Ludwig AI confirms this is a usable verb in sentences. Examples in Ludwig show contexts of abnegating responsibility, ethical codes, or animal instincts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "abnegate" is a verb that means to renounce or reject something, often involving self-denial. Ludwig AI confirms that it is correct and usable in written English. It's grammatically sound and commonly found in News & Media and Scientific contexts, as shown by Ludwig's examples. While "abnegate" isn't interchangeable with similar terms like "abdicate", it can be replaced by alternatives like "renounce" or "relinquish" depending on the specific meaning you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

renounce

Implies a formal rejection or abandonment of a claim, right, or possession.

relinquish

Suggests a yielding or surrender of something, often unwillingly.

give up

A more general term for ceasing to do or have something.

reject

Indicates a refusal to accept or consider something.

forsake

Suggests abandoning someone or something, often with a sense of betrayal.

waive

To voluntarily refrain from using or enforcing something such as a right or claim.

cede

To give up power or territory.

disclaim

To deny responsibility for or connection with something.

forgo

To abstain from or decline to take advantage of something.

sacrifice

To give up something valued for the sake of something else.

FAQs

How can I use "abnegate" in a sentence?

You can use "abnegate" to describe the act of denying oneself something, such as "She chose to "abnegate" all luxuries in order to donate more to charity".

What are some synonyms for "abnegate"?

Alternatives to "abnegate" include "renounce", "relinquish", and "give up", each carrying slightly different connotations of denial or surrender.

Is it correct to use "abnegate" in formal writing?

Yes, "abnegate" is suitable for formal writing when you need to convey a deliberate act of self-denial or renunciation. Its usage adds a layer of gravity to the described action.

What is the difference between "abnegate" and "abdicate"?

"Abnegate" means to deny oneself something, while "abdicate" means to formally relinquish a throne or high office. The terms are not interchangeable.