{ "abject":{ "antonyms":[], "definitions":{ ": cast down in spirit : servile , spiritless":[ "a man made abject by suffering", "an abject coward" ], ": expressing or offered in a humble and often ingratiating spirit":[ "abject flattery", "an abject apology" ], ": showing hopelessness or resignation":[ "abject surrender" ], ": sunk to or existing in a low state or condition : very bad or severe":[ "living in abject poverty", "to lowest pitch of abject fortune thou art fallen", "\u2014 John Milton", "abject failure" ] }, "examples":[ "\u2026 the time would come that no human being should be humiliated or be made abject . \u2014 Katherine Anne Porter , The Never-Ending Wrong , 1977", "\u2026 my critical intelligence sometimes shrivels to an abject nodding of the head. \u2014 Lewis H. Lapham , Harper's , May 1971", "\u2026 nothing seemed to have changed at the Beehive across the years. The same pallid employees were visible in the same abject state of peonage, cringing under the whiplash of overseers. \u2014 S. J. Perelman , Baby, It's Cold Inside , 1970", "They live in abject misery.", "He offered an abject apology.", "She thought he was an abject coward.", "Recent Examples on the Web", "As Cuba\u2019s economy went into freefall, Washington tightened its economic sanctions against Cuba, exacerbating the abject poverty that forced Cubans to illegally flee. \u2014 Nili Blanck, Smithsonian Magazine , 25 May 2022", "This story generates trust, buy-in and affinity and can be the difference between roaring success and abject failure. \u2014 Jodie Cook, Forbes , 16 May 2022", "The DeSantis administration\u2019s effort to narrow healthcare coverage for transgender residents is yet another manifestation of the Republican Party\u2019s drift toward abject soullessness and moral bankruptcy. \u2014 Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times , 3 June 2022", "When the 45th president endorsed her opponent in the South Carolina primary, Representative Nancy Mace filmed a video in front of Trump Tower in New York proclaiming her abject loyalty. \u2014 Walter Shapiro, The New Republic , 24 May 2022", "The rationale for my abject refusal to budge is simple. \u2014 Washington Post , 2 May 2022", "It\u2019s been 762 days since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic and finally the vibe has shifted from the abject panic and disbelief of March 2020 to the ubiquitous dread of April 2022. \u2014 Molly Jong-fast, The Atlantic , 12 Apr. 2022", "Anything less than abject fawning is met with what\u2019s-your-problem-Doc derision. \u2014 Paul Daugherty, The Enquirer , 12 Apr. 2022", "Someone who's got serious ambition is an abject up-and-goer on a clock-by-clock, day-by-day, minute-by-minute basis. \u2014 Dalton Ross, EW.com , 18 Mar. 2022" ], "first_known_use":{ "15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1":"" }, "history_and_etymology":{ "Middle English, \"outcast, rejected, lowly,\" borrowed from Latin abjectus \"downcast, humble, sordid,\" from past participle of abicere \"to throw away, throw down, overcome, abandon,\" from ab- ab- + -icere , reduced form of jacere \"to throw\" \u2014 more at jet entry 3":"" }, "pronounciation":[ "\u02c8ab-\u02ccjekt" ], "synonym_discussion":"Choose the Right Synonym for abject mean , ignoble , abject , sordid mean being below the normal standards of human decency and dignity. mean suggests small-mindedness, ill temper, or cupidity. mean and petty satire ignoble suggests a loss or lack of some essential high quality of mind or spirit. an ignoble scramble after material possessions abject may imply degradation, debasement, or servility. abject poverty sordid is stronger than all of these in stressing physical or spiritual degradation and abjectness. a sordid story of murder and revenge", "synonyms":[ "base", "humble", "menial", "servile", "slavish" ], "time_of_retrieval":"20220706-180711", "type":[ "adjective", "adverb", "noun" ] }, "abjection":{ "antonyms":[], "definitions":{ ": a low or downcast state : degradation":[], ": the act of making abject : humbling , rejection":[ "I protest \u2026 this vile abjection of youth to age", "\u2014 G. B. Shaw" ] }, "examples":[ "sees the corporate scandal as yet another sign of the general abjection of our society", "Recent Examples on the Web", "Thanks to the cult of plain honesty, abjection , and sincere appearance, however, they were not portrayed as doing so persuasively, powerfully, beautifully. \u2014 Jarrett Earnest, The New York Review of Books , 8 June 2022", "The films lean into ambiguity and uncertainty, resisting a binary vision of pure abjection or simple victory. \u2014 New York Times , 19 July 2021", "Both authors are irreverent and unorthodox, both are drawn to abjection , and both engage in an extended reckoning with their own mothers. \u2014 Eula Biss, The New Yorker , 22 Apr. 2021", "Even the gross-out images are not actually interested in the abjection of popular culture or American society, in the manner of Mike Kelley or Paul McCarthy. \u2014 Jason Farago, New York Times , 12 Mar. 2021", "These books \u2014 so vaunted for their bravery, their abjection \u2014 are also, indisputably, an account of getting one\u2019s own way. \u2014 New York Times , 19 Jan. 2021", "The end point isn\u2019t self-realization, but abjection , the would-be interpreter gibbering before the staggering number of connections. \u2014 Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine , 5 Jan. 2021", "The character careened between triumph and slapstick abjection as the puppeteers moved him across a long table with artificial turf. \u2014 Siddhartha Mitter, New York Times , 19 Nov. 2020", "What is harder to parse is how precisely the pain and abjection that Carey describes in such detail yielded her confidence, determination, and skill. \u2014 Emily Lordi, The New Yorker , 2 Oct. 2020" ], "first_known_use":{ "15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1":"" }, "history_and_etymology":{ "Middle English abjectioun \"humbleness, abject state, outcasts,\" borrowed from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French abjeccioun \"rejection, outcasts,\" borrowed from Late Latin abjecti\u014dn-, abjecti\u014d \"casting away, rejection, humbled condition, humbleness,\" going back to Latin, \"dejection,\" from abicere \"to throw down\" + -ti\u014dn-, -ti\u014d , suffix of action nouns \u2014 more at abject":"" }, "pronounciation":[ "ab-\u02c8jek-sh\u0259n" ], "synonym_discussion":"", "synonyms":[ "corruption", "corruptness", "debasement", "debauchery", "decadence", "decadency", "degeneracy", "degenerateness", "degeneration", "degradation", "demoralization", "depravity", "dissipatedness", "dissipation", "dissoluteness", "libertinage", "libertinism", "perversion", "pervertedness", "rakishness", "turpitude" ], "time_of_retrieval":"20220706-204741", "type":[ "noun" ] }, "abjectly":{ "antonyms":[], "definitions":{ ": cast down in spirit : servile , spiritless":[ "a man made abject by suffering", "an abject coward" ], ": expressing or offered in a humble and often ingratiating spirit":[ "abject flattery", "an abject apology" ], ": showing hopelessness or resignation":[ "abject surrender" ], ": sunk to or existing in a low state or condition : very bad or severe":[ "living in abject poverty", "to lowest pitch of abject fortune thou art fallen", "\u2014 John Milton", "abject failure" ] }, "examples":[ "\u2026 the time would come that no human being should be humiliated or be made abject . \u2014 Katherine Anne Porter , The Never-Ending Wrong , 1977", "\u2026 my critical intelligence sometimes shrivels to an abject nodding of the head. \u2014 Lewis H. Lapham , Harper's , May 1971", "\u2026 nothing seemed to have changed at the Beehive across the years. The same pallid employees were visible in the same abject state of peonage, cringing under the whiplash of overseers. \u2014 S. J. Perelman , Baby, It's Cold Inside , 1970", "They live in abject misery.", "He offered an abject apology.", "She thought he was an abject coward.", "Recent Examples on the Web", "As Cuba\u2019s economy went into freefall, Washington tightened its economic sanctions against Cuba, exacerbating the abject poverty that forced Cubans to illegally flee. \u2014 Nili Blanck, Smithsonian Magazine , 25 May 2022", "This story generates trust, buy-in and affinity and can be the difference between roaring success and abject failure. \u2014 Jodie Cook, Forbes , 16 May 2022", "The DeSantis administration\u2019s effort to narrow healthcare coverage for transgender residents is yet another manifestation of the Republican Party\u2019s drift toward abject soullessness and moral bankruptcy. \u2014 Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times , 3 June 2022", "When the 45th president endorsed her opponent in the South Carolina primary, Representative Nancy Mace filmed a video in front of Trump Tower in New York proclaiming her abject loyalty. \u2014 Walter Shapiro, The New Republic , 24 May 2022", "The rationale for my abject refusal to budge is simple. \u2014 Washington Post , 2 May 2022", "It\u2019s been 762 days since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic and finally the vibe has shifted from the abject panic and disbelief of March 2020 to the ubiquitous dread of April 2022. \u2014 Molly Jong-fast, The Atlantic , 12 Apr. 2022", "Anything less than abject fawning is met with what\u2019s-your-problem-Doc derision. \u2014 Paul Daugherty, The Enquirer , 12 Apr. 2022", "Someone who's got serious ambition is an abject up-and-goer on a clock-by-clock, day-by-day, minute-by-minute basis. \u2014 Dalton Ross, EW.com , 18 Mar. 2022" ], "first_known_use":{ "15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1":"" }, "history_and_etymology":{ "Middle English, \"outcast, rejected, lowly,\" borrowed from Latin abjectus \"downcast, humble, sordid,\" from past participle of abicere \"to throw away, throw down, overcome, abandon,\" from ab- ab- + -icere , reduced form of jacere \"to throw\" \u2014 more at jet entry 3":"" }, "pronounciation":[ "\u02c8ab-\u02ccjekt" ], "synonym_discussion":"Choose the Right Synonym for abject mean , ignoble , abject , sordid mean being below the normal standards of human decency and dignity. mean suggests small-mindedness, ill temper, or cupidity. mean and petty satire ignoble suggests a loss or lack of some essential high quality of mind or spirit. an ignoble scramble after material possessions abject may imply degradation, debasement, or servility. abject poverty sordid is stronger than all of these in stressing physical or spiritual degradation and abjectness. a sordid story of murder and revenge", "synonyms":[ "base", "humble", "menial", "servile", "slavish" ], "time_of_retrieval":"20220706-191106", "type":[ "adjective", "adverb", "noun" ] }, "abjure":{ "antonyms":[ "adhere (to)" ], "definitions":{ ": to abstain from : avoid":[ "abjure extravagance" ], ": to reject solemnly":[ "She abjured her old beliefs." ], ": to renounce upon oath":[ "He abjured his allegiance to his former country." ] }, "examples":[ "abjured some long-held beliefs when she converted to another religion", "a strict religious sect that abjures the luxuries, comforts, and conveniences of the modern world", "Recent Examples on the Web", "The potential to abjure the will of the people in order to advance a partisan agenda seems vast. \u2014 Chris Cillizza, CNN , 28 Jan. 2022", "Sinema gets permission to hide from the press and abjure her constituents in part because she has been given the centrist/moderate stamp of approval. \u2014 Alex Shephard, The New Republic , 6 Oct. 2021", "The attempt by Protestant reformer John Calvin to vindicate God\u2019s sovereignty ultimately forced him to abjure any meaningful belief in human free will, leaving us as either tools in the hands of our Maker or utter slaves to sin. \u2014 Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review , 25 Jan. 2021", "Taking the oath to absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure my homeland was more terrifying. \u2014 Jakki Kerubo, Longreads , 10 Aug. 2020", "Generally, Majumdar abjures commentary and interior analysis in favor of incident, the decisive ramifications of action. \u2014 James Wood, The New Yorker , 1 June 2020", "Passionately denouncing the inequity of his time, Francis of Assisi abjured his wealth and joined the beggars. \u2014 Karen Armstrong, New York Times , 3 Mar. 2020", "On the other hand, the policy exempts parody and satire, which would seem to require precisely the kind of interpretive judgment that the company abjures to the point of outsourcing fact-checking to third parties. \u2014 Gilad Edelman, Wired , 7 Jan. 2020", "But even in less dire cases, to abjure concern for one\u2019s health \u2014 let alone to encourage others to do so \u2014 is deeply irresponsible. \u2014 Jack Butler, National Review , 7 Nov. 2019" ], "first_known_use":{ "15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a":"" }, "history_and_etymology":{ "Middle English abjuren , borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French abjurer , borrowed from Medieval Latin abj\u016br\u0101re , \"to repudiate, renounce (a right or claim), swear to stay away from,\" going back to Latin, \"to deny knowledge of falsely under oath, repudiate,\" from ab- ab- + j\u016br\u0101re \"to swear\" \u2014 more at jury entry 1":"" }, "pronounciation":[ "ab-\u02c8ju\u0307r", "ab-\u02c8ju\u0307r, \u0259b-" ], "synonym_discussion":"Choose the Right Synonym for abjure abjure , renounce , forswear , recant , retract mean to withdraw one's word or professed belief. abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath. abjured the errors of his former faith renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown. renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal. I cannot forswear my principles recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught. if they recant they will be spared retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation. the newspaper had to retract the story", "synonyms":[ "abnegate", "forswear", "foreswear", "recant", "renege", "renounce", "repeal", "repudiate", "retract", "take back", "unsay", "withdraw" ], "time_of_retrieval":"20220707-081942", "type":[ "noun", "noun,", "transitive verb", "verb" ] } }