Abolition is the act of officially ending or eliminating something completely, especially a law, system, or practice. When something is abolished, it's permanently done away with.

The word is most famous for describing the end of slavery. Throughout history, many countries abolished slavery at different times. Britain ended slavery in its empire in 1833, and the United States abolished it with the 13th Amendment in 1865. People who fought to end slavery were called abolitionists. They worked through speeches, writings, and political action to abolish it entirely.

Abolition means wiping something out entirely. You might hear about the abolition of unfair laws, the abolition of outdated rules, or the abolition of harmful practices.

Schools might abolish old policies that no longer make sense. A city might abolish parking restrictions on certain streets. Countries have abolished monarchies, replacing kings and queens with elected governments.

Abolish is the verb form: “The principal decided to abolish the old dress code.” Notice that abolition usually refers to something formal and official, something that required authority or power to eliminate. You wouldn't say you abolished your messy desk, you'd say you cleaned it up.