Abandoning is the gerund or present participle form of abandon, meaning to leave behind or desert something or someone, often abruptly or with disregard for remaining obligations. It conveys a deliberate act of renouncing attachment or responsibility, typically in a context where continuation would be expected. The term is used in legal, personal, and social scenarios to describe cessation of support, residence, or control.
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- US: emphasize rhoticity by maintaining non-rhoticity in this word; but in practice, the /r/ does not appear. Focus on crisp /æ/ and a clear /d/ before /ən/. - UK: crisp /d/ release and less vowel reduction; keep /ə/ in the first syllable moderate. - AU: slightly more vowel reduction in the first syllable; ensure /æ/ in /bæn/ remains full; keep /ɪŋ/ distinct. IPA references: /əˈbæn.dən.ɪŋ/.
"- The company is abandoning its traditional pricing model in favor of a subscription approach."
"- After years of trying, she is abandoning her search for a long-term partner."
"- The hikers are abandoning the trail due to hazardous conditions."
"- Local authorities are abandoning the project because it no longer meets funding criteria."
Abandon comes from Old French abandoner, from a- (from) + bandon (control, jurisdiction, power, right of possession), ultimately from Late Latin bannus (a ban, proclamation) or Old French ban, faner. The sense evolved in English from “to give up control or possession” to “to desert or yield completely.” The participle -ing attaches to the verb abandon, forming abandoning to describe the ongoing action of giving up or leaving behind something. The first English citations trace to the 15th century with meanings around relinquishment, compliance to a decree, or surrender of responsibility. Over time, abandoning gained subtleties related to emotional detachment, strategic withdrawal, or voluntary renunciation, often implying a course of action rather than a single act. In modern usage, abandoning frequently appears in legal, psychological, or narrative contexts, signaling a transition away from duties, relationships, or connections. The word’s morphology is straightforward: a base verb (abandon) plus the present participle suffix (-ing) to convey ongoing action or process, with stress typically on the second syllable in the base form and maintained in the gerund. Contemporary frequency aligns with discussions of change, abandonment of plans, or entities deciding to disengage.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "abandoning" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "abandoning" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "abandoning"
-ing sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as ə-BAN-dən-ing. The primary stress lands on the second syllable: /ˈbæn/ with the open-front lax /æ/ as in 'bat'. The first syllable is schwa /ə/, and the final -ing is /ɪŋ/. Link the parts smoothly: ə-BAN-dən-ɪŋ, with the /d/ clearly articulated before the alveolar nasal. Practicing slowly helps you keep the /æ/ length and avoid turning /æ/ into /æŋ/.
Two frequent errors are: 1) Moving the /æ/ toward a more centralized or rounded vowel, so it becomes /ə/ or /æŋ/ in rapid speech; keep it as /æ/ in /ˈbæn/. 2) Slurring the /n/ into the following /d/ (e.g., /ˈbændənɪŋ/). Maintain distinct /d/ and /n/ contacts before the /ɪŋ/ suffix. Practice by isolating the three core segments: /ə/ + /bæn/ + /dən/ + /ɪŋ/ and slow down to ensure clean transitions.
US/UK/AU share /əˈbæn.dən.ɪŋ/, but rhotics and vowel quality vary. US tends to a rhotic /r/ absent in this word; primary stress remains on /ˈbæn/. UK often features crisper /d/ and shorter schwa in initial syllable; AU may reduce /ə/ slightly and blend /ən/ towards /ən/ with a softer /d/. In all, the core /æ/ in the stressed syllable remains central; rhythm and linking can blur /n/ and /d/ in fast speech, making /bæn.dən/ sound almost like /bændən/.
Because it blends a stressed stressed syllable with two post-stressed segments: /æ/ in /bæ n/ and the sequence /dən.ɪŋ/ introduces a nun-to-velar transition and a trailing /ɪŋ/. The /d/ liaises with the following /ən/; rapid speech can swallow the /ən/ into a syllabic nasal. The stress pattern and morae distribution require precise timing across four syllables, making it especially tricky for non-native learners to maintain crisp consonants and stable vowel qualities in a single breath.
Yes. The secondary stress target is the /bæn/ portion within the word, but the main lexical emphasis remains on the syllable containing /æ/ in the second position. You’ll hear the rise in pitch around the /bæn/ core as you begin to move into the /dən.ɪŋ/ tail. Keep the /æ/ distinct; otherwise the word can blur into /ə-bən.dɪŋ/ which changes the perceived meaning.
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- Shadowing: listen to a native speaker saying a sentence with abandoning; repeat in real-time, then slower, then at natural speed. - Minimal pairs: treat /æ/ vs /ə/ in stressed syllable: /bæn/ vs /bən/. Also test /d/ versus /t/ in the /dən/ portion: /dən/ vs /tən/. - Rhythm practice: phone-style pacing with 4 syllables; purpose is to equalize morae. - Stress practice: mark the /æ/ syllable with a stronger beat. - Recording: record your pronunciation, compare to a reference; adjust the preceding vowels. - Context practice: include sentences with
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