abort
B2formal/technical
Definition
Meaning
to stop a process or activity before it is completed, especially intentionally
to terminate a pregnancy; to fail to develop or complete; to cut short a mission or operation
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a deliberate termination due to problems, risks, or changing circumstances. Can carry strong emotional weight in medical contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In medical contexts, 'terminate' is often preferred in UK English to avoid ambiguity with computing/engineering uses. In US English, 'abort' is more commonly used in both medical and technical contexts.
Connotations
UK: stronger association with computing/space missions; US: more direct association with pregnancy termination.
Frequency
More frequent in US English across all domains; in UK English, technical usage dominates.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
abort + NP (abort the mission)abort + PP (abort due to technical issues)be aborted (The launch was aborted)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “abort mission”
- “pull the plug (informal equivalent)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used when stopping projects or initiatives due to feasibility issues: 'We had to abort the merger talks.'
Academic
Appears in computing, engineering, and medical research papers.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation except in technical discussions; often replaced by 'cancel' or 'stop'.
Technical
Standard term in computing (abort process), aerospace (abort launch), and medicine (therapeutic abortion).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The pilot decided to abort the landing due to poor visibility.
- They had to abort the software update halfway through.
American English
- The mission was aborted after the engine failure.
- She chose to abort the pregnancy for medical reasons.
adverb
British English
- The system shut down abortively.
- The mission ended abortively.
American English
- The process terminated abortively.
- The launch concluded abortively.
adjective
British English
- The abort procedure was initiated immediately.
- An abort signal was sent to all systems.
American English
- The abort command was executed successfully.
- Abort protocols were followed precisely.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The game aborted because of an error.
- They aborted the picnic when it started raining.
- The pilot had to abort the takeoff due to a warning light.
- We decided to abort our plans because of the bad weather.
- The spacecraft's launch was aborted at the last minute.
- The company aborted the product launch after poor market research.
- The surgical procedure was aborted when complications arose.
- The negotiations were aborted due to irreconcilable differences between the parties.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A boat (sounds like 'abort') that turns back to port before reaching its destination.
Conceptual Metaphor
JOURNEY INTERRUPTED (a planned journey that ends prematurely)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'аборт' (noun only in Russian) when verb is needed; use 'прервать' or 'отменить'.
- Don't confuse with 'abortion' which is exclusively medical in English.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'abort' as a noun (incorrect: 'make an abort'; correct: 'perform an abortion' or 'execute an abort procedure').
- Overusing in informal contexts where 'cancel' would be more natural.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'abort' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's widely used in computing, aerospace, and general contexts for stopping processes.
'Abort' suggests stopping something already in progress, often urgently; 'cancel' can refer to stopping plans before they begin.
Yes, but mainly in technical contexts (e.g., 'system abort,' 'mission abort'), not in everyday speech.
It's neutral-to-formal; in casual conversation, people often prefer 'stop' or 'call off.'