abandon

to leave completely and finally; forsake utterly; desert.

The crew finally abandoned the sinking ship and boarded a lifeboat.

He abandoned his wife and children, leaving them in poverty.

Antonyms:

keep

to give up; withdraw from; discontinue.

She had to abandon the research project when the grant money dried up.

I’ve abandoned all hope of a stage career.

Antonyms:

start, begin, continue

to give up the control of.

After a long struggle, they abandoned the city to the invading army.

Synonyms:

abdicate, waive, resign, surrender, yield

Antonyms:

retain

to yield (oneself) without restraint or moderation; give (oneself) over to natural impulses, usually without self-control.

After the breakup, he fell apart and abandoned himself to grief.

Law. to cast away, leave, or desert, as property or a child.

Insurance. to relinquish (insured property) to the underwriter in case of partial loss, thus enabling the insured to claim a total loss.

Obsolete. to banish.

to forsake completely; desert; leave behind

to abandon a baby

drivers had to abandon their cars

the order given to the crew of a ship that is about to sink to take to the lifeboats

to give up completely

to abandon a habit

to abandon hope

to yield control of or concern in; relinquish

to abandon office

to give up (something begun) before completion

to abandon a job

the game was abandoned

to surrender (oneself) to emotion without restraint

to give (insured property that has suffered partial loss or damage) to the insurers in order that a claim for a total loss may be made