abort

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive or intransitive

   To stop an action, process, or plan before completion, especially because something goes wrong.

   Grammar: Can take an object: abort the launch; or no object: the launch aborted.

   Patterns

   • abort something
   • abort the mission
   • abort because of something

   Engineers had to abort the test when sensors showed overheating.

   The hikers aborted the climb because the trail was icy.

   If the alarm sounds twice, the system will abort automatically.

2. 2verbtransitive or intransitivemedical

   To end a pregnancy deliberately before the fetus can survive outside the uterus.

   Grammar: Medical use; can be transitive in formal writing or intransitive in technical descriptions.

   Patterns

   • abort a pregnancy
   • abort spontaneously
   • decide to abort

   The clinician explained the options after the patient chose to abort the pregnancy.

   Some infections can make a pregnancy abort spontaneously.

   The study examined why cattle may abort after eating toxic plants.

3. 3verbtransitive or intransitivecomputingtechnical

   Of a computer program or machine process, to terminate before finishing because of an error or interrupt signal.

   Grammar: In computing it can take an object: abort the job; or fail alone: the process aborted.

   Patterns

   • abort the process
   • abort a print job
   • the operation aborted

   The compiler aborted after finding a syntax error.

   She sent a command to abort the print job.

   The backup will abort if the drive becomes full.

Word forms

Common combinations

abort the mission

Ground control decided to abort the mission before launch.

abort the launch

Lightning forced controllers to abort the launch.

abort a process

The script will abort a process that uses too much memory.

abort a pregnancy

The clinic provides counseling for anyone considering how to abort a pregnancy safely.

abort spontaneously

In some mammals, severe stress can make a pregnancy abort spontaneously.

Synonyms and how they differ

cancel

Cancel is the everyday neutral choice for plans and events; abort suggests stopping because of danger or failure.

terminate

Terminate is formal and common in computing, contracts, and medicine; it can sound colder than cancel.

scrub

Scrub is informal and often used for launches, missions, or schedules, especially in American English.

discontinue

Discontinue means stop an ongoing practice or product, not necessarily an urgent one-time action.

Opposites

Word family

abortion noun

The deliberate ending of a pregnancy, or broadly the termination of a process.

abortive adjective

Failing to achieve the intended result, often formal or medical.

abortively adverb

In a way that fails before completion; rare outside formal writing.

Commonly confused: abort or adopt? abort or adapt?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “abort”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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