How to say "abandon" in Japanese

• 諦めるあきらめるJLPT N3approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbCovers abandoning hope, plans, or goals in the sense of giving up and resigning yourself to the outcome. The natural choice when effort stops and acceptance sets in, as with a dream or ambition.
  その少年しょうねんは死しんだものとしてあきらめられた。↗

  The boy was given up for dead.
• 見捨てるみすてるCommon
  ichidan verb, transitive verbFor abandoning a person or dependent who relied on you — deserting or forsaking them, often with a moral tinge of betrayal. Use it when someone is left behind and written off.
  彼かれは友人ゆうじんから見捨みすてられてしまった。↗

  He was deserted by his friends.
• 思い切るおもいきるCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbMeans abandoning a thought, wish, or intention by resolving to let it go; it carries the nuance of making a clean mental break rather than simply failing. Suits giving up on an idea one had entertained.
  彼女かのじょの事ことが思い切おもいきれない。↗

  I can't forget her.
• 見放すみはなすCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbAlso for abandoning people, meaning to give up on someone as hopeless and stop caring for or supporting them. Close to 見捨てる, with a stronger sense of concluding the person is beyond help.
  彼かれは医者いしゃに見放みはなされた。↗

  He was given up on by the doctors.
• 取り下げるとりさげるCommon
  ichidan verb, transitive verbOnly marginally 'abandon': it means to withdraw something formally, such as a lawsuit or petition, and is really the word for withdrawal in legal or official contexts, not for abandoning people or hopes.
  若わかさゆえに彼かれに対たいする告訴こくそは取り下とりさげられた。↗

  The charges against him were dropped because of his youth.

Use 「諦める」 for giving up hope or plans, 「見捨てる」 or 「見放す」 for abandoning people, 「思い切る」 for abandoning an idea or desire, and 「取り下げる」 only for formally withdrawing something like a lawsuit.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 諦めるあきらめるto give up
• 見捨てるみすてるto abandon
• 思い切るおもいきるto give up (all thoughts of)
• 見放すみはなすto abandon
• 取り下げるとりさげるto withdraw
• 思いとどまるおもいとどまるto give up (an idea or plan)
• 見限るみかぎるto give up on
• 乗り捨てるのりすてるto get off
• 捨て去るすてさるto abandon
• 置き去るおきさるto abandon
• 廃するはいするto abolish
• うっちゃるto discard
• 投げ打つなげうつto throw away
• 打ち捨てるうちすてるto throw away
• ほっぽらかすto neglect
• 身を引くみをひくto resign
• 廃すはいすto abolish
• うっちゃらかすto leave unfinished
• かなぐり捨てるかなぐりすてるto fling off
• ほっぽり出すほっぽりだすto throw out
• 押っ放り出すおっぽりだすto throw out
• やめるto cancel
• 捨てるすてるto abandon
• 投げるなげるto give up
• 放るほうるto neglect
• 投げ出すなげだすto abandon
• 切り捨てるきりすてるto abandon
• 引き下げるひきさげるto withdraw (a proposal, request, etc.)
• 見合わせるみあわせるto postpone
• 突き放すつきはなすto detach oneself from
• 放り出すほうりだすto abandon
• 放り投げるほうりなげるto abandon (one's work)
• 見切るみきるto give up (on)
• ほっぽるto abandon
• 切って捨てるきってすてるto abandon
• 見合わすみあわすto postpone
• 振るふるto abandon
• 投じるとうじるto abandon