Abjure
/əbˈdʒʊr/
verbC2
Definition
Abjure means to officially and seriously reject or give up a belief, opinion, or cause. It is often used when someone decides to stop supporting something they once believed in, especially in a formal or public way.
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See It in Action
To formally reject or give up a belief or cause
- •She abjured her former political views after learning new information.
- •The knight abjured his loyalty to the king and joined the rebels.
- •Many people abjured alcohol during the temperance movement.
To swear off something, usually by a formal statement or oath
- •He abjured violence and promised to live peacefully.
- •The witness abjured any connection to the crime under oath.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "abjure" like "stop," but much stronger and more serious—it means to completely give up and say you do not agree anymore.
- ✓Imagine a person standing in front of a group, raising their hand and saying, "I no longer believe in this," as a clear, strong action.
- ✓It feels like the moment you decide to leave a club or group because you do not agree with their ideas anymore.
- ✓Sounds like "ab-JURE" → imagine someone saying "Sure, I quit!" but in a very serious and official way.
- ✓Think of stories where a character gives up bad habits or beliefs after realizing they were wrong.
- ✓NOT like "change your mind" (which can be small or private); abjure is public and strong.
- ✓NOT like "forget" (which is about memory); abjure is about active refusal.
- ✓NOT like "reject" casually; abjure is formal and often involves a promise or oath.
Try Other Words
- •Renounce: to formally say you no longer support or own something (Use when emphasizing public or official rejection)
- •Reject: to refuse to accept or believe something (Use in less formal or less serious situations)
- •Forswear: to promise to give up or avoid something (Use in very formal or old-fashioned contexts)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "ab-" means "away from" or "off"
- •Root: "jur" comes from Latin "jurare," meaning "to swear" or "to take an oath"
- •Etymology: From Latin "abjurare," meaning to swear away or renounce under oath
- •Historical development: Started in law and religion to describe formally giving up rights or beliefs by oath
- •Modern usage: Used mainly in formal writing or speech to describe serious rejection of beliefs or practices
Reflect & Connect
•What kinds of beliefs or actions might someone feel the need to abjure in their life?
•How is abjuring different from simply changing your mind or stopping a habit quietly?
Fill in the blanks
1.When faced with new evidence, she decided to abjure her previous ___ and beliefs.
2.The leader publicly abjured violence and promised to ___ peaceful methods.
3.Abjure is stronger than just stopping; it often involves making a formal ___ or promise.
4.Unlike "reject," to abjure usually means the refusal is ___ and serious.
5.People who abjure a belief often do so because they feel it is ___ or wrong.
6.The knight had to abjure his loyalty to the king to join the ___.
7.When someone abjures something, they usually do it in a ___ way, not quietly or secretly.