A synonym is a word or phrase that means the same or nearly the same as another. Here is a list of synonyms for words beginning with ab. Use this list to help build your vocabulary and add variety to your writing.
Abandon, v. desert, forsake, forego, discard, relinquish, repudiate, waive, renounce, abdicate. Antonyms: retain, maintain, continue, cherish.
abandon, n. unrestraint, wantonness.
abandoned, a. forsaken, deserted, derelict, castaway, rejected; depraved, reprobate, incorrigible, arrant, graceless, irreformable.
abandonment, n. desertion, relinquishment, dereliction, reprobation, surrender, evacuation, rejection, abdication. Antonyms: retention, continuance, maintenance, persistence.
abase, v. humble, degrade, dishonor, reduce, humiliate.
abasement, n. humiliation, reduction, dishonor, degradation, ignominy.
abash, v. disconcert, confuse, discomfit, discompose, chagrin, mortify, embarrass.
abashment, n. discomfiture, confusion, mortification, chagrin, embarrassment.
abate, v. moderate, assuage, subside, diminish, intermit. Antonyms: See increase.
abatement, n. moderation, diminution, reduction, subsidence, decrease.
a b c. alphabet, symbols; rudiments, elements, first principles.
a b c book. primer, hornbook.
abdomen, n. belly, paunch. Associated words: abdominal, ventral, paunchy, abdominous, peritoneum, peritonitis, celiac, laparotomy, groin, eventration, abdominoscopy, hypogastric, hypogastrium.
abduction, n. kidnapping, child-stealing, man-stealing, defiliation. Associated words: abduct, abductor.
aberration, n. wandering, deviation; abnormity, irregularity; madness, mania.
abet, v. instigate, encourage, incite, egg on, foment, uphold.
abetment, n. instigation, incitement, encouragement.
abeyance, n. suspension, indetermination.
abhor, v. abominate, loathe, hate, detest.
abhorrence, n. detestation, loathing, repugnance, abomination.
abhorrent, a. repugnant, detestable, loathsome, repulsive.
abide, v. dwell, stay, sojourn, continue, remain; acquiesce, conform to.
abiding, a. continuing, lasting, stable.
ability, n. competence, efficiency, aptitude, capacity, skill, proficiency, capability. Antonyms: inability, incapability.
abject, a. degraded, groveling, servile, ignoble, contemptible base. Antonyms: noble, lofty, dignified, exalted.
able, a. competent, qualified, capable, talented, clever, gifted, efficient; effective, cogent, telling, potent. Antonyms: unable, incompetent, incapable, inefficient ineffective, impotent.
able-bodied, a. stalwart, brawny, robust, sturdy, strapping muscular.
abnormal, a. anomalous, irregular, exceptional, aberrant, erratic, unusual. Antonyms: See normal.
abnormality, n. variation, irregularity, anomaly, abnormity. Antonyms: regularity, naturalness.
abnormity, n. irregularity, abnormality, monstrosity, anomaly.
abode, n. residence, habitation, dwelling, domicile, sojourn.
abolish, v. annul, nullify, abrogate, invalidate, repeal, revoke, rescind, disannul, set aside, destroy. Antonyms: confirm, establish.
abolition, n. annulling, abrogation, destruction, abolishment, disestablishment, cancellation, extinction, nullification, rescission, revocation.
abominable, a. odious, execrable, detestable, loathsome, abhorrent, offensive.
abomination, n. detestation, execration, abhorrence, loathing, aversion, odiousness.
abortion, n. miscarriage, failure, frustration; castling, mooncalf, monster.
abortive, a. unsuccessful, unavailing, miscarrying, frustrate, ineffectual; rudimentary, undeveloped, sterile, imperfect.
abound, v. be plentiful, teem, swarm.
abounding, a. rife, plentiful, abundant, galore.
about, prep. concerning, anent, relative to, with regard to.
abridge, v. shorten, diminish, curtail; epitomize, condense.
abridgment, n. diminution, lessening, reduction, curtailment, condensation; epitome, compend, synopsis, digest, summary, breviary.
abrogate, v. annul, repeal, revoke, abolish, rescind, nullify, invalidate.
abrogation, n. repeal, abolition, revocation, annulment, defeasance.
abrupt, a. precipitous, steep, craggy, jagged, rugged; unceremonious, hasty, brusque, rough, rude, curt, discourteous; unconnected.
abscess, n. aposteme, imposthume, ulcer, fester.
absence, n. nonattendance; want, destitution, privation, lack; inattention, absent-mindedness. Associated Words: furlough, parole.
absent-minded, a. preoccupied, distrait, inattentive, unmindful, abstracted.
absent-mindedness, n. preoccupation, abstraction, inattention.
absolute, a. unconditional, unrestricted, uncontrolled, supreme; consummate, faultless, ideal; actual, real; self-existent, self-sufficing; autocratic, despotic.
absolution, n. forgiveness, remission, discharge, pardon.
absolutism, n. autocracy, despotism.
absolve, v. release, remit, pardon, exonerate, acquit, exculpate.
absorb, v. engulf, overwhelm, swallow up; imbibe, suck up, assimilate; engross, occupy, monopolize.
absorbent, a. absorbtive, absorbing, bibulous.
absorbing, a. engrossing, engaging, fascinating.
absorption, n. imbibition; engrossment. Associated Word: sorbefacient.
absquatulate, v. (Jocular) decamp, go away, depart.
abstain, v. forbear, refrain, withhold, deny one's self. Antonym: indulge.
abstaining, n. abstention, abstinence.
abstemious, a. abstinent, temperate, self-denying, frugal.
abstinence, n. forbearance, temperance, self-denial, abstemiousness.
abstinent, a. abstemious, temperate, continent. Antonyms: sensual, wanton, self-indulgent, intemperate.
abstract, n. summary, epitome, compendium, synopsis, brief, compend.
abstracted, a. separated, disconnected, withdrawn; absent-minded, preoccupied.
abstraction, n. separation, disconnection, withdrawal; inattention, absent-mindedness, preoccupation, musing; defiliation; purloining, seizure, stealing.
abstruse, a. recondite, obscure, incomprehensible.
absurd, a. ridiculous, preposterous, nonsensical, incongruous, foolish, irrational, inconsistent.
absurdity, n. inconsistency, fallacy, irrationality, ineptitude, foolishness.
abundance, n. sufficiency, plenty, profusion, copiousness, exuberance, plenteousness, overflow. Antonyms: deficiency, dearth, scarcity, poverty.
abundant, a. plentiful, copious, exuberant, galore, ample, lavish, plenteous, teeming, bountiful. Antonyms: deficient, inadequate, insufficient.
abuse, v. misapply, misuse, pervert, desecrate, violate, profane; maltreat, mistreat; revile, reproach, vilify, vituperate, malign, traduce; violate, ravish, rape.
abuse, n. misuse, misapplication, perversion, profanation, desecration; injury, maltreatment, mistreatment, outrage, offense; invective, contumely, reproach, scurrility, opprobrium, tirade, billingsgate, vilification; violation, rape.
abusive, a. reviling, scurrilous, opprobrious, reproachful, vituperative, insulting, offensive, contumelious, outrageous.
abut, v. project, terminate, be contiguous, meet;--with _on_, _upon_, or _against_.
Questions about abbreviations used here? You'll find designations for the part of speech for each word; for more information, see abbreviations. Some words also give designations for their geographical/ethnic origin and/or the discipline in which they are used.
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