abolish

abolish — verb

1. to use the power of a government, court, or official body to put a permanent sto

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to use the power of a government, court, or official body to put a permanent stop to a law, system, tax, or long-standing practice, so that it no longer exists.

Example

Brazil abolished slavery in 1888 after decades of public protest.

abolish + named institution / practice

The new mayor promised to abolish the unpopular parking tax next year.

abolish + tax / fee

Common collocations
  • abolish slavery
  • abolish the death penalty
  • abolish a tax
  • abolish a law
  • vote to abolish
Synonyms
  • repeal

    specifically for laws, by formal vote of a legislature

  • scrap

    informal; works for plans and policies as well as laws

  • do away with

    informal phrasal alternative; same meaning, less formal tone

  • annul

    formal; usually for marriages, contracts, or single decisions, not whole systems

Antonyms
  • establish

    to set up a new system, law, or institution

  • introduce

    to bring a new rule or policy into force

  • restore

    to bring back something that had been abolished

Grammar Patterns

abolish + noun (law / system / practice)

Usage Note

Subject is usually a government, parliament, court, or institution with the power to make rules. Object is almost always an abstract system, law, tax, custom, or office — not a physical thing or a single event.

Common Mistakes

The teacher abolished the noisy student.
The teacher expelled the noisy student.
abolish takes systems, laws, or practices, not people.
I want to abolish my old phone.
I want to get rid of my old phone.
for everyday objects, use 'get rid of'; abolish is for official rules and systems.

Word family

  • abolition
    nounC1
  • abolitionist
    nounC2
  • abolitionism
    nounC2
  • abolishable
    adjective

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe ending something that was previously in force, but they fit different contexts. 'Abolish' is the broadest formal choice — it works for laws, taxes, customs, and whole institutions, and it carries a strong sense of finality, as in 'abolish slavery'. 'Repeal' is narrower and more technical: a legislature votes to repeal a specific law or act, so you 'repeal the smoking ban' but not 'repeal slavery'. 'Scrap' is informal and faster-feeling; politicians scrap plans, fees, or proposals, often before they take full effect. 'Annul' is formal but applies to single agreements or decisions — courts annul marriages, contracts, or election results, not entire systems. Choose 'abolish' when you mean a permanent, official end to a whole practice.

abolish ↗repealscrapannul

Common collocations

Nouns

  • abolish slavery
  • abolish the death penalty
  • abolish a tax
  • abolish a law
  • abolish the monarchy

Adverbs

  • formally abolish
  • officially abolish
  • completely abolish
  • finally abolish

Phrases

  • vote to abolish
  • campaign to abolish
  • move to abolish

Prepositions

  • abolish in [country / year]

Etymology

LatinMiddle FrenchEnglish

Abolish entered English in the late 1400s from Middle French 'aboliss-', the present-participle stem of 'abolir', which itself came from Latin 'abolere' meaning 'to destroy or wipe out'. The Latin verb is built from the prefix 'ab-' ('away') joined to a root linked to growth and existence, so the original idea was 'to take something out of existence'. From the start the English word kept this strong sense of permanent removal, which is why today it pairs with serious targets like slavery, the death penalty, or long-standing laws rather than small everyday changes.