| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | remove something or someone from situation |
| Synonyms: | abjure, absent oneself, back out, bail out, blow, book, bow out, check out, depart, detach, disengage, draw away, draw back, drop out, ease out, eliminate, exfiltrate, exit, extract, fall back, get away, get lost, get off, give ground, give way, go, keep aloof, keep apart, leave, make oneself scarce, phase out, pull back, pull out, quail, quit, recede, recoil, retire, retreat, run along, secede, seclude oneself, shrink, switch, take a hike, take away, take leave, take off, take out, vacate |
| Antonyms: | remain, stay |
| Main Entry: | abandon |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | leave behind, relinquish |
| Synonyms: | abdicate, back out, bail out, bow out, chicken out, cop out, cut loose, desert, discard, discontinue, ditch*, drop, drop out, duck*, dump*, dust*, flake out, fly the coop, give up the ship, kiss goodbye, leave, leg it, let go, opt out, pull out, quit, run out on, screw*, ship out, stop, storm out, surrender, take a powder, take a walk, throw over, vacate, walk out on, wash hands of, withdraw, yield |
| Antonyms: | cherish, defend, keep, pursue, retain, support |
| Main Entry: | abdicate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | give up a right, position, or power |
| Synonyms: | abandon, abjure, abnegate, bag it, bail out, cede, demit, drop, forgo, give up, leave, leave high and dry, leave holding the bag, leave in the lurch, opt out, quit, quitclaim, relinquish, renounce, resign, retire, sell out, step down, surrender, vacate, waive, withdraw, yield |
| Antonyms: | assert, assume, challenge, claim, defend, defy, hold, maintain, remain, retain, treasure, usurp |
| Main Entry: | abjure |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | give up |
| Synonyms: | abstain from, forswear, recant, renege, renounce, retract, take back, withdraw |
| Notes: | abjure is 'swear off' or 'swear away' and adjure is 'command earnestly'; abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath renounce often equals abjure but may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown and may imply a sacrifice for a greater end |
| Main Entry: | abstract |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | take away from |
| Synonyms: | detach, disconnect, disengage, dissociate, extract, isolate, part, remove, separate, steal, take out, uncouple, withdraw |
| Antonyms: | add, combine, fill, insert, introduce, unite |
| Main Entry: | apologize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | express remorse, regret |
| Synonyms: | admit guilt, ask forgiveness, ask pardon, atone, beg pardon, bow to, clear oneself, confess, cop a plea, cop out, crawl*, excuse oneself, get down on knees, give satisfaction, make amends, make reparations, make up for, make up with, offer compensation, offer excuse, purge, retract, say one is sorry, square*, withdraw |
| Antonyms: | defy |
| Main Entry: | avoid |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | refrain or stay away from; prevent |
| Synonyms: | abstain, avert, bypass, circumlocute, circumvent, deflect, desist, ditch, divert, dodge, duck, elude, escape, eschew, evade, fake out, fend off, flee, give the slip, hide, hold off, jump, keep clear, lay low, obviate, recoil, run for cover, shake, shake and bake, shake off, shirk, shrink from, shuffle off, shun, shy, sidestep, skip out on, skip town, skip*, skirt, stay away, stay out, steer clear of, step aside, turn aside, ward off, weave, withdraw |
| Notes: | avert means 'prevent, turn away' and avoid means 'stay clear of, shun' |
| Antonyms: | face, meet, seek, want |
| Main Entry: | back |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | put in reverse direction |
| Synonyms: | backtrack, drive back, fall back, recede, regress, repel, repulse, retire, retract, retreat, reverse, turn tail, withdraw |
| Antonyms: | advance, go forward |
| Main Entry: | back down |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | back off |
| Synonyms: | abandon, accede, acquiesce, admit, back off, back out, back pedal, backtrack, balk, beg off, bow out, cancel, cave in, chicken out, chicken out, concede, cop out, demur, give ground, give in, give up, go back on, have no fight left, hold back, pull back, pull out, recant, recoil, renege, resign, retreat, submit, surrender, take back, wimp out, withdraw, withdraw from agreement or statement, yield |
| Antonyms: | go forward |