Abjure and adjure differ by one letter but move in opposite rhetorical directions.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| abjure | renounce or reject solemnly | He abjured violence. |
| adjure | urge, command, or appeal earnestly | She adjured him to leave. |
A memory device
The prefix ab- often suggests away: abjure something away. Adjure directs an urgent appeal toward another person.
Grammar difference
Abjure typically takes the thing rejected as its object. Adjure often takes a person as its object, followed by an infinitive: “She adjured the witness to speak.”
Common error
“The leader adjured violence” would mean the leader urgently appealed to violence, not rejected it. The intended word is usually abjured.
Frequently asked questions
Is abjure a common word?
No. It is formal and relatively uncommon in everyday conversation.
Does abjure require an actual oath?
Not in modern use, although the historical sense is oath-based.
Is abjure always religious?
No. It can apply to politics, allegiance, ideology, conduct, or habits.
Is it stronger than reject?
Usually yes; it suggests seriousness, finality, or formality.
Can a person abjure a habit?
Yes, especially in elevated or literary language.
Is abjuration always voluntary?
No. Historical abjurations were sometimes coerced.
What is the noun form?
Abjuration.
What is the past tense?
Abjured.
What is the third-person singular form?
Abjures.
What is the closest synonym?
Renounce or forswear, depending on context.