The difference between Abandon and Maintain

When used as verbs, abandon means to give up or relinquish control of, to surrender or to give oneself over, or to yield to one's emotions, whereas maintain means to support (someone), to back up or assist (someone) in an action.


Abandon is also noun with the meaning: a yielding to natural impulses or inhibitions.

check bellow for the other definitions of Abandon and Maintain

  1. Abandon as a verb (transitive):

    To give up or relinquish control of, to surrender or to give oneself over, or to yield to one's emotions.

  2. Abandon as a verb (transitive):

    To desist in doing, practicing, following, holding, or adhering to; to turn away from; to permit to lapse; to renounce; to discontinue.

  3. Abandon as a verb (transitive):

    To leave behind; to desert as in a ship or a position, typically in response to overwhelming odds or impending dangers; to forsake, in spite of a duty or responsibility.

    Examples:

    "Many baby girls have been abandoned on the streets of Beijing."

  4. Abandon as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To subdue; to take control of.

  5. Abandon as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To cast out; to banish; to expel; to reject.

  6. Abandon as a verb (transitive):

    To no longer exercise a right, title, or interest, especially with no interest of reclaiming it again; to yield; to relinquish.

  7. Abandon as a verb (transitive):

    To surrender to the insurer (an insured item), so as to claim a total loss.

  1. Abandon as a noun:

    A yielding to natural impulses or inhibitions; freedom from artificial constraint, with loss of appreciation of consequences.

  2. Abandon as a noun (obsolete):

    abandonment; relinquishment.

  1. Maintain as a verb (obsolete, transitive):

    To support (someone), to back up or assist (someone) in an action.

  2. Maintain as a verb:

    To keep up; to preserve; to uphold (a state, condition etc.).

  3. Maintain as a verb:

    To declare or affirm (a clause) to be true; to assert.