ABOLISHING Synonyms: 162 Similar and Opposite Words

abolishing

verb

present participle of abolish

as in repealing

to put an end to by formal action the U.S. abolished slavery by constitutional amendment on December 6, 1865

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as in eradicating

to destroy all traces of if only there were a way that we could abolish hatred and intolerance

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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.

Recent Examples of abolishing Debates over abolishing or scaling back the institution, which occasionally flare up in the United Kingdom and other nations, are rare in Norway. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 While his party debates abolishing prisons and owning grocery stores, Democratic Mayor Daniel Lurie is cleaning up his city. — Kate Andrews, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026 Some members sought to amend the resolution to call for reforming ICE rather than abolishing it. — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 13 Aug. 2026 Some of Hong’s past comments, including calling for the cancellation of Thanksgiving and abolishing the police, have garnered scrutiny in recent days. — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026 Hong has also disavowed parts of the national DSA platform, such as abolishing prisons and law enforcement. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 Walker-Yeager, who ran on abolishing or significantly reducing residents and seniors’ property tax burdens, historic preservation and increasing the state minimum wage, had 124 votes. — Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026 As a vigil for the deceased grew, some messages called for abolishing ICE. — Allen Devlin, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026 Given some of the ideas such as abolishing prisons and defunding the Pentagon, that seems like a reasonable argument. — Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abolishing

Verb

The Council earlier this month approved an ordinance repealing a July measure that directed the city manager to assess living conditions at the apartments and make emergency repairs.

— Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
That includes prohibiting the construction of AI data centers in rural Texas neighborhoods, reducing the impacts of data centers on local communities, and repealing sales tax exemptions and other incentives.

— Jack Fink, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of repealing

Verb

The brand also claims that this sweeps away plaque rather than just blasting a hole through it, more effectively eradicating the sludgy bacteria.

— Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
Tlaib is also a prominent critic of Israel; her rhetoric has been chastised by Jewish colleagues as an antisemitic call for eradicating Jews, a charge the congresswoman and her supporters reject.

— Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of eradicating

Verb

But Bama followed with a 38-3 quarterfinal flop to Indiana, erasing any momentum and placing DeBoer squarely under the microscope entering a pivotal third season.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
The 68-year-old also lost her husband and her son, who worked at a local hydropower plant, in the flash floods that hit the region on Wednesday, erasing entire communities.

— Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of erasing

Verb

Demonstrators carrying Spanish flags moved toward beachside migrant camps last week, destroying shelters and setting fires as police attempted to keep protesters and migrants apart, according to Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE and news agency EFE.

— Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Several homeowners near Meta’s massive Newton County data center have filed a lawsuit accusing the tech company and others of tainting their water and destroying their rural way of life.

— Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of destroying

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“Abolishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abolishing. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of abolishing

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