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to abolish

to abolish

112 4.1
To officially end a law, system, or practice
  • verb
  • /əˈbɑːlɪʃ/
translation icon : abolir
  • Activists are working hard to abolish the death penalty in their state.
  • abolish slavery
  • abolish the law
  • abolish the system

So it's they didn't propose to abolish nuclear weapons per SE.

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Examples

  • In 1986, the British government abolished physical punishment in the schools it controlled.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Slavery in Cuba was only abolished completely, however, in 1886.

    Academic text (2017)
  • OK, so should we try to abolish nuclear weapons?

  • What No Child Left Behind did was to abolish school specific targets.

  • But I have a much harder time seeing us able to abolish force.

  • As you know, I think we should abolish the FBI.

  • I'm a part of the largest campaign to abolish the practice completely.

  • Your goal, and tell me if I'm wrong, is to abolish the golf courses, right?

  • In the Marxist-Leninist vision, the first step toward communism is to abolish private property.

    Academic text (1991)
  • In Florida, the legislature abolished the newly established penitentiary and stopped work on the state's first public university.

    Academic text (2017)

Synonyms

to get rid of
vsto abolish
1.6

To remove or throw away something you do not want

is the official act to end a law or system
to eliminate
vsto abolish
354 3.4

Remove someone or something from a competition so they are no longer in it

is the official act to end a law or system rather than removal from contests
to lift
vsto abolish
255 4.2

To officially end a rule or restriction

is the official act to end a law or system
to cancel
vsto abolish
224 1.0

To make a ticket, order, or rule no longer valid

is the official act to end a law or system
to repeal
vsto abolish
  • Formal
143 4.3

To cancel a law or rule so it no longer applies

is the official act to end a law or system
to outlaw
vsto abolish
114 4.4

To make something illegal

is the official act to end a law or system rather than create illegality
to revoke
vsto abolish
  • Formal
96 6.2

Officially stop something from being valid, for example a license

is the official act to end a law or system
to do away with
vsto abolish
88 3.7

Remove something so it is no longer used

is the official act to end a law or system
to eradicate
vsto abolish
85 6.6

Remove something harmful completely, for example a disease or pest

is the official act to end a law or system rather than complete destruction
to put a stop to
vsto abolish
62 3.0

To end something so it no longer happens

is the official act to end a law or system
to dissolve
vsto abolish
  • Formal
60 4.1

To officially end an organization, agreement, or relationship

is the official act to end a law or system
to rescind
vsto abolish
  • Formal
44 7.9

Officially cancel a law, order, or agreement

is the official act to end a law or system
to invalidate
vsto abolish
  • Formal
33 6.1

To make a document or agreement have no legal effect anymore

is the official act to end a law or system
to extinguish
vsto abolish
21 5.5

End something completely, for example a custom or a debt

is the official act to end a law or system rather than general elimination
to nullify
vsto abolish
  • Formal
15 7.2

To make a law or contract have no legal effect

is the official act to end a law or system
to abrogate
vsto abolish
  • Formal
10 8.8

To officially cancel a law, agreement, or right

is the official act to end a law or system
to quash
vsto abolish
  • Formal
8 8.1

Forcefully stop something like a protest or rumor

is the official act to end a law or system rather than forceful suppression
to annul
vsto abolish
  • Formal
6 6.3

Officially say that a law, contract, or marriage is no longer valid

is the official act to end a law or system
to illegalize
vsto abolish
  • US
1 6.7

To make something against the law

is the official act to end a law or system rather than create illegality
to disannul
vsto abolish
  • Formal
9.3

To cancel an earlier decision that said something was not valid so it becomes valid again

is the official act to end a law or system
to sublate
vsto abolish
  • Archaic
9.9

To officially take away a law or custom

is the modern official act to end a law or system

Antonyms

772 4.1

To start something that is meant to last

110 5.8

To return a person or thing to a previous position like a job

How Complete

to eradicate
85 6.6
to abolish
112 4.1
to end
1.0
to stop
1.0

Surface Forms

abolish infinitive
abolished past
abolished past participle
abolishing present participle
abolishes third person singular

Etymology

The word abolish comes from the Latin abolēre, built from ab- 'away' and a root meaning 'to destroy' or 'do away with'. You can see ab- in the word absent, and so to abolish a law or practice is to 'take it away' or officially end it.