abdicate

UK: /ˈæbdɪkeɪt/ US: /ˈæbdɪˌkeɪt/ ,(ab′di kāt′)

Inflections of 'abdicate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

abdicates

v 3rd person singular

abdicating

v pres p

abdicated

v past

abdicated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ab•di•cate /ˈæbdɪˌkeɪt/   v., -cat•ed, -cat•ing. 

1. to give up (an important position, responsibility, authority, duties, a high office, etc.): [~ + object]
   He abdicated the throne of England.
   [no object]
   He decided to abdicate.

ab•di•ca•tion /ˌæbdɪˈkeɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ab•di•cate  (ab′di kāt′), v., -cat•ed, -cat•ing. 
v.i. 

1. to renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, claim, responsibility, or the like, esp. in a formal manner:
   The aging founder of the firm decided to abdicate.

v.t. 

2. to give up or renounce (authority, duties, an office, etc.), esp. in a voluntary, public, or formal manner:
   King Edward VIII of England abdicated the throne in 1936.

• Latin abdicātus renounced (past participle of abdicāre), equivalent. to ab- ab- + dicātus proclaimed (dic- (see dictum) + -ātus -ate¹)
• 1535–45;

ab•di•ca•ble  (ab′di kə bəl), adj.  ab•di•ca•tive  (ab′di kā′tiv, -kə-), adj.  ab′di•ca′tor, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. resign, quit.
• 2. abandon, repudiate.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

abdicate / ˈæbdɪˌkeɪt/ verb

1. to renounce (a throne, power, responsibility, rights, etc), esp formally

Etymology: 16th Century: from the past participle of Latin abdicāre to proclaim away, disclaim

ˌabdiˈcation noun

ˈabdiˌcator noun