Leave vs. Abandon — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 27, 2023
"Leave" means to go away from a place or person, often temporarily. "Abandon" implies deserting with no intent to return or giving up completely.
Difference Between Leave and Abandon
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Leave" and "abandon" both pertain to departing from something or someone. However, the nuances of their usage differ significantly. "Leave" generally refers to departing from a place or person, often with the possibility of return. Conversely, "abandon" indicates a more permanent departure, with an implied lack of intention to return.
When one says they will "leave" their house, they may be suggesting that they'll come back after some time, like after work or a vacation. In contrast, if someone says they will "abandon" their house, they mean they're leaving it for good, often in a haste or under dire circumstances, without any inclination to come back.
The term "leave" can also refer to taking time off, such as in "leave of absence." This use doesn't suggest permanence but rather a temporary break. "Abandon," on the other hand, suggests giving up on something completely, such as in the phrase "abandon hope." Here, there's a strong implication of total relinquishment.
Furthermore, "leave" is often neutral in tone and could be used in daily conversation without evoking strong emotions. However, "abandon" carries a weightier sentiment, often evoking feelings of desertion, neglect, or forsakenness. For instance, a pet left at home for a few hours is different from a pet abandoned on the streets.
Comparison Chart
Connotation
Neutral or temporary departure
Desertion or giving up completely
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Duration
Often temporary
Implies permanence
Emotional Weight
Generally neutral
Heavier, evokes feelings of desertion
Usage in Employment
Can imply taking time off (e.g., sick leave)
Suggests quitting without notice
Associated Feelings
Departure, break
Neglect, relinquishment, forsakenness
Compare with Definitions
Leave
To go away from.
She decided to leave the party early.
Abandon
To desert with no intent to return.
They had to abandon their homes due to flooding.
Leave
To give over possession or control of.
He left his estate to his niece.
Abandon
To withdraw one's support or help from, especially in spite of duty, allegiance, or responsibility; desert
Abandon a friend in trouble.
Leave
To set out on a journey.
They plan to leave for Europe next week.
Abandon
To give up by leaving or ceasing to operate or inhabit, especially as a result of danger or other impending threat
Abandoned the ship.
Leave
Go away from
The England team left for Pakistan on Monday
We were almost the last to leave
She left London on June 6
Abandon
To surrender one's claim to, right to, or interest in; give up entirely
Abandon a belief.
Leave
Allow or cause to remain
The parts he disliked he would alter and the parts he didn't dislike he'd leave
Abandon
To cease trying to continue; desist from
Abandoned the search for the missing hiker.
Leave
Cause (someone or something) to be in a particular state or position
I'll leave the door open
He'll leave you in no doubt about what he thinks
The children were left with feelings of loss
Abandon
To yield (oneself) completely, as to emotion.
Leave
(of a plant) put out new leaves
Trees leaved, wild flowers burst in profusion on the far side of the lake
Abandon
Great enthusiasm or lack of restraint
Skied with abandon.
Leave
(in snooker, croquet, and other games) the position in which a player leaves the balls for the next player.
Abandon
(transitive) To give up or relinquish control of, to surrender or to give oneself over, or to yield to one's emotions.
Leave
Time when one has permission to be absent from work or from duty in the armed forces
Joe was home on leave
Maternity leave
Abandon
(transitive) To desist in doing, practicing, following, holding, or adhering to; to turn away from; to permit to lapse; to renounce; to discontinue.
Leave
Permission
Leave from the court to commence an action
Abandon
(transitive) To leave behind; to desert, as in a ship, a position, or a person, typically in response to overwhelming odds or impending dangers; to forsake, in spite of a duty or responsibility.
Many baby girls have been abandoned on the streets of Beijing.
She abandoned her husband for a new man.
Leave
To go out of or away from
Not allowed to leave the room.
Abandon
To subdue; to take control of.
Leave
To go without taking or removing
Left my book on the bus.
Abandon
To cast out; to banish; to expel; to reject.
Leave
To omit or exclude
Left out the funniest part of the story.
Abandon
(transitive) To no longer exercise a right, title, or interest, especially with no interest of reclaiming it again; to yield; to relinquish.
I hereby abandon my position as manager.
Leave
To have as a result, consequence, or remainder
The car left a trail of exhaust fumes. Two from eight leaves six.
Abandon
(transitive) To surrender to the insurer (an insured item), so as to claim a total loss.
Leave
To cause or allow to be or remain in a specified state
Left the lights on.
Abandon
A yielding to natural impulses or inhibitions; freedom from artificial constraint, with loss of appreciation of consequences.
Leave
To have remaining after death
Left a young son.
Abandon
(obsolete) abandonment; relinquishment.
Leave
To bequeath
Left her money to charity.
Abandon
To cast or drive out; to banish; to expel; to reject.
That he might . . . abandon them from him.
Being all this time abandoned from your bed.
Leave
To give over to another to control or act on
Leave all the details to us.
Abandon
To give up absolutely; to forsake entirely ; to renounce utterly; to relinquish all connection with or concern on; to desert, as a person to whom one owes allegiance or fidelity; to quit; to surrender.
Hope was overthrown, yet could not be abandoned.
Leave
To abandon or forsake
Leave home.
Left her husband.
Abandon
Reflexively: To give (one's self) up without attempt at self-control; to yield (one's self) unrestrainedly; - often in a bad sense.
He abandoned himself . . . to his favorite vice.
Leave
To remove oneself from association with or participation in
Left the navy for civilian life.
Abandon
To relinquish all claim to; - used when an insured person gives up to underwriters all claim to the property covered by a policy, which may remain after loss or damage by a peril insured against.
Leave
To give or deposit, as for use or information, upon one's departure or in one's absence
He left a note for you. Leave your name and address.
Abandon
Abandonment; relinquishment.
Leave
To cause or permit to be or remain
Left myself plenty of time.
Abandon
A complete giving up to natural impulses; freedom from artificial constraint; careless freedom or ease.
Leave
(Nonstandard) To allow or permit; let.
Abandon
The trait of lacking restraint or control; freedom from inhibition or worry;
She danced with abandon
Leave
To set out or depart; go
When can you leave?.
Abandon
A feeling of extreme emotional intensity;
The wildness of his anger
Leave
To put forth foliage; leaf.
Abandon
Forsake, leave behind;
We abandoned the old car in the empty parking lot
Leave
Permission to do something.
Abandon
Stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas, claims, etc.;
He abandoned the thought of asking for her hand in marriage
Both sides have to give up some calims in these negociations
Leave
An act of departing; a farewell
Took leave of her with a heavy heart.
Abandon
Give up with the intent of never claiming again;
Abandon your life to God
She gave up her children to her ex-husband when she moved to Tahiti
We gave the drowning victim up for dead
Leave
See leave of absence.
Abandon
Leave behind empty; move out of;
You must vacate your office by tonight
Leave
To have a consequence or remnant.
Abandon
Leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch;
The mother deserted her children
Leave
(transitive) To cause or allow (something) to remain as available; to refrain from taking (something) away; to stop short of consuming or otherwise depleting (something) entirely.
I left my car at home and took a bus to work.
The ants did not leave so much as a crumb of bread.
There's not much food left. We'd better go to the shops.
Abandon
To give up with the intent of never again claiming a right or interest in.
He decided to abandon his claim to the property.
Leave
To cause, to result in.
The lightning left her dazzled for several minutes.
Infantile paralysis left him lame for the rest of his life.
She left disappointed.
Abandon
To cease from maintaining, practicing, or using.
She abandoned her dreams of becoming an artist.
Leave
(transitive) To put; to place; to deposit; to deliver, with a sense of withdrawing oneself.
Leave your hat in the hall.
We should leave the legal matters to lawyers.
I left my sewing and went to the window to watch the falling snow.
Abandon
To yield oneself without restraint.
He abandoned himself to his emotions.
Leave
To depart; to separate from.
Abandon
To discontinue an action or course.
They had to abandon their efforts to save the ship.
Leave
To let be or do without interference.
I left him to his reflections.
I leave my hearers to judge.
Leave
(transitive) To depart from; to end one's connection or affiliation with.
I left the country and I left my wife.
Leave
(transitive) To end one's membership in (a group); to terminate one's affiliation with (an organization); to stop participating in (a project).
I left the band.
Leave
(intransitive) To depart; to go away from a certain place or state.
I think you'd better leave.
Leave
To transfer something.
Leave
(transitive) To transfer possession of after death.
When my father died, he left me the house.
Leave
(transitive) To give (something) to someone; to deliver (something) to a repository; to deposit.
I'll leave the car in the station so you can pick it up there.
Leave
(transitive) To transfer responsibility or attention of (something) (to someone); to stop being concerned with.
Can't we just leave this to the experts?
Leave
To remain (behind); to stay.
Leave
To stop, desist from; to "leave off" (+ noun / gerund).
Leave
(transitive) To give leave to; allow; permit; let; grant.
We were not left go to the beach after school except on a weekend.
Leave
To produce leaves or foliage.
Leave
(obsolete) To raise; to levy.
Leave
(cricket) The action of the batsman not attempting to play at the ball.
Leave
(billiards) The arrangement of balls in play that remains after a shot is made (which determines whether the next shooter — who may be either the same player, or an opponent — has good options, or only poor ones).
Leave
Permission to be absent; time away from one's work.
I've been given three weeks' leave by my boss.
Leave
Permission.
Might I beg leave to accompany you?
The applicant now seeks leave to appeal and, if leave be granted, to appeal against these sentences.
Leave
(dated) Farewell, departure.
I took my leave of the gentleman without a backward glance.
Leave
To send out leaves; to leaf; - often with out.
Leave
To raise; to levy.
An army strong she leaved.
Leave
To withdraw one's self from; to go away from; to depart from; as, to leave the house.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife.
Leave
To let remain unremoved or undone; to let stay or continue, in distinction from what is removed or changed.
If grape gatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes ?
These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Besides it leaveth a suspicion, as if more might be said than is expressed.
Leave
To cease from; to desist from; to abstain from.
Now leave complaining and begin your tea.
Leave
To desert; to abandon; to forsake; hence, to give up; to relinquish.
Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
The heresies that men do leave.
Leave
To let be or do without interference; as, I left him to his reflections; I leave my hearers to judge.
I will leave you now to your gossiplike humor.
Leave
To put; to place; to deposit; to deliver; to commit; to submit - with a sense of withdrawing one's self from; as, leave your hat in the hall; we left our cards; to leave the matter to arbitrators.
Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way.
The footThat leaves the print of blood where'er it walks.
Leave
To have remaining at death; hence, to bequeath; as, he left a large estate; he left a good name; he left a legacy to his niece.
Leave
To cause to be; - followed by an adjective or adverb describing a state or condition; as, the losses due to fire leave me penniless; The cost of defending himself left Bill Clinton with a mountain of lawyers' bills.
Leave
To depart; to set out.
By the time I left for Scotland.
Leave
To cease; to desist; to leave off.
Leave off, and for another summons wait.
Leave
Liberty granted by which restraint or illegality is removed; permission; allowance; license.
David earnestly asked leave of me.
No friend has leave to bear away the dead.
Leave
The act of leaving or departing; a formal parting; a leaving; farewell; adieu; - used chiefly in the phrase, to take leave, i. e., literally, to take permission to go.
A double blessing is a'double grace;Occasion smiles upon a second leave.
And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren.
Leave
The period of time during which you are absent from work or duty;
A ten day's leave to visit his mother
Leave
Permission to do something;
She was granted leave to speak
Leave
The act of departing politely;
He disliked long farewells
He took his leave
Parting is such sweet sorrow
Leave
Go away from a place;
At what time does your train leave?
She didn't leave until midnight
The ship leaves at midnight
Leave
Go and leave behind, either intentionally or by neglect or forgetfulness;
She left a mess when she moved out
His good luck finally left him
Her husband left her after 20 years of marriage
She wept thinking she had been left behind
Leave
Act or be so as to become in a specified state;
The inflation left them penniless
The president's remarks left us speechless
Leave
Leave unchanged or undisturbed or refrain from taking;
Leave it as is
Leave the young fawn alone
Leave the flowers that you see in the park behind
Leave
Move out of or depart from;
Leave the room
The fugitive has left the country
Leave
Make a possibility or provide opportunity for; permit to be attainable or cause to remain;
This leaves no room for improvement
The evidence allows only one conclusion
Allow for mistakes
Leave lots of time for the trip
This procedure provides for lots of leeway
Leave
Result in;
The water left a mark on the silk dress
Her blood left a stain on the napkin
Leave
Remove oneself from an association with or participation in;
She wants to leave
The teenager left home
She left her position with the Red Cross
He left the Senate after two terms
After 20 years with the same company, she pulled up stakes
Leave
Put into the care or protection of someone;
He left the decision to his deputy
Leave your child the nurse's care
Leave
Leave or give by will after one's death;
My aunt bequeathed me all her jewelry
My grandfather left me his entire estate
Leave
Have left or have as a remainder;
That left the four of us
19 minus 8 leaves 11
Leave
Be survived by after one's death;
He left six children
At her death, she left behind her husband and 11 cats
Leave
Tell or deposit (information) knowledge;
Give a secret to the Russians
Leave your name and address here
Leave
Leave behind unintentionally;
I forgot my umbrella in the restaurant
I left my keys inside the car and locked the doors
Leave
To allow to remain in a certain place.
I'll leave the keys on the table.
Leave
To go out of or away from.
It's time to leave the office.
Common Curiosities
What does "leave" generally imply?
"Leave" typically implies a departure, often with the possibility of return.
Is "leave" always temporary?
Not necessarily, but "leave" often suggests a temporary absence, unlike "abandon."
Can "abandon" be used emotionally?
Yes, "abandon" can refer to emotional desertion, like feeling abandoned by loved ones.
How does "abandon" differ from "leave"?
"Abandon" implies deserting with no intention to return or giving up on something completely.
What feelings are often associated with "abandon"?
"Abandon" often evokes feelings of desertion, neglect, or being forsaken.
Can "leave" refer to giving something to someone in a will?
Yes, "leave" can mean to bequeath or hand down something, like leaving an inheritance.
Is "leave of absence" the same as quitting a job?
No, a "leave of absence" is a temporary break from work, whereas quitting implies a more permanent departure.
Can "leave" also mean to allow something to remain?
Yes, "leave" can mean to let something stay in a place, like leaving a book on a shelf.
Does "abandon" always have a negative connotation?
While "abandon" often has a negative tone, it can be neutral in contexts like "abandon oneself to music."
What's the opposite of "leave" in the context of arriving?
The opposite would be "arrive" or "enter."
Can "leave" be used in a military context?
Yes, soldiers might get "leave," which is approved time off from their duties.
Can "abandon" imply total relinquishment?
Yes, "abandon" can indicate completely giving up rights or claims to something.
In what situations might "abandon" be used?
"Abandon" might be used when someone gives up on a project, deserts a place, or forsakes someone.
If someone "abandons a ship," what does that mean?
It means they are deserting the ship, often due to it sinking or facing grave danger.
Is "leave" solely used as a verb?
No, "leave" can also be a noun, as in "taking a leave from work."
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
