abjection
C2Formal; Literary; Academic (esp. critical theory, psychology)
Definition
Meaning
A state of extreme humiliation, degradation, or being cast out. It describes the condition of being brought low, made wretched, or treated as an outcast.
In psychology and critical theory, it denotes the violent expulsion of what disturbs identity and order, creating a sense of revulsion. It can also refer to a state of utter misery or poverty.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Abstract noun derived from 'abject'. Implies a profound, often socially/psychologically enforced, state of lowliness and rejection. Strongly associated with feelings of disgust and the dehumanization of the 'other'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. British academic writing may use it more frequently in literary/cultural criticism, influenced by theorists like Julia Kristeva.
Connotations
Identical in both variants: strong negative connotations of extreme degradation and psychological/social expulsion.
Frequency
Low in both varieties, but slightly more common in British academic humanities discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the abjection of + NOUN (the abjection of the refugee)sink/sank/sunk into abjectionlive in abjectiona scene/portrayal of abjectionVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific. Occasionally used in phrases like 'depths of abjection'.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Extremely rare. Potentially in critical discussions of corporate ethics ('the abjection of workers in the supply chain').
Academic
Common in literary theory, cultural studies, psychoanalysis, and sociology to discuss marginalization, disgust, and social boundaries.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
A specific term in Kristevan psychoanalytic theory ('the abject').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The regime sought to abject its political enemies.
- They were abjected from polite society.
American English
- The policy effectively abjects the homeless from public spaces.
- She felt abjected by the hostile community.
adverb
British English
- He apologised abjectly for his mistake.
- The servant bowed abjectly.
American English
- She failed abjectly in her attempt.
- He obeyed abjectly, without question.
adjective
British English
- He lived in abject poverty.
- Her apology was abject and thorough.
American English
- They failed in an abject manner.
- The team's performance was abject.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The film showed the abjection of life in the slums.
- He wrote about his feelings of abjection after losing his job.
- The novel explores the social abjection of the immigrant community.
- Her betrayal left him in a state of total abjection.
- Kristeva's theory of the abject analyses the psychological roots of our revulsion.
- The artist's work deliberately evokes abjection to challenge bourgeois sensibilities.
- The political discourse created a zone of abjection for dissenting voices.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a person REJECTED and cast out (AB-JECT-ion), left in a miserable, low state.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL/MORAL STATUS IS PHYSICAL HEIGHT (being cast down low); PURITY IS CLEANLINESS / THE REJECTED IS FILTH.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'объекция' (objection) или 'абстракция' (abstraction).
- Ближе по смыслу к 'унижение', 'низость', 'презренное состояние', но сильнее. 'Отверженность' передает часть смысла.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing with 'objection'.
- Using in informal contexts where 'humiliation' or 'misery' would be appropriate.
- Misspelling as 'abjuration' or 'objection'.
Practice
Quiz
In which academic field is the term 'abjection' most specifically and technically used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Rejection' is the act of refusing or dismissing. 'Abjection' is the resulting *state* of being cast down, humiliated, and made wretched because of that rejection or other causes.
Yes, it can describe extreme physical poverty and wretchedness (e.g., 'abject poverty'), but its richer use is psychological and social, describing a condition of dehumanising degradation.
'Abject' is the adjective (an abject failure, abject poverty). 'Abjection' is the noun naming the state or condition of being abject.
It is a highly abstract, formal, and literary term describing an extreme emotional/social state. Simpler words like 'misery', 'humiliation', or 'degradation' are more common in daily conversation.
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