Abandon, Desert, Vacate, Evacuate

Abandon, Desert, Vacate, Evacuate. These words all relate to leaving a place, but they have different uses. Let's learn their uses one by one.

Abandon

Abandon means to leave somebody or somewhere with no intention of returning.

The girl had been abandoned by its mother.
The town had been abandoned by the people.

Desert

Desert means to leave somebody without help or support, to go away from a place.

The inhabitants had deserted the town.
She was deserted by her husband.

Vacate

Vacate means to leave a building, seat, job, position, etc., especially so that somebody else can use it.

Guests are requested to vacate their rooms.
He has taken over the role vacated by his boss.

Evacuate

Evacuate means to move people from a place to danger to a safer place.

Police evacuated the building.
The man has now been safely evacuated to the mainland.

Difference between Abandon, Desert, Vacate, Evacuate:

Abandon is used to mean to leave a place, thing or person permanently or for a long time, especially when you should not do so. Abandon implies neglect and giving up responsibility.

If a son abandons his mother, it means he fails to fulfill his responsibility toward her and leaves her behind.

Desert is used to mean to go away from a place and leave it empty. Desert implies to leave a place, duty, or post without permission, often breaking a promise or obligation. When people desert a place, it implies they left because there was no longer work or food available, not because of danger.

A soldier who leaves the army illegally is called a deserter because they fail to fulfill their military obligation.

Vacate implies to leave a building, room or seat, especially so that somebody else can use it. You vacate a place because you are asked to leave the place for a reason.

Evacuate implies to move out of a place because of danger, and leave the place empty.

If a building is collapsing, authority order to evacuate the building as soon as possible, because of safety issue.

In a nutshell

To abandon something means to give up all responsibility for it.

To desert means to willfully abandon a duty or obligation, especially in violation of a promise or commitment.

To vacate means to leave a place when asked, typically by authorities or the owner.

To evacuate means to leave a place due to safety concerns.

WhatsApp Group Join Now

Telegram Group Join Now

I have read some fantastic books on English language that really helped me improve my writing. You can buy my recommended books on Amazon. Here is the lists below:

Books on Grammar:

Books	Buy Links	Rating
The Elephants Of Style		4.5/5
English Grammar in Use Book		4.5/5
Practical English Usage		4.5/5
The Elements of Style		4.5/5
Essentials of English		4.5/5
Handbook of English Grammar and Usage		4.5/5
Woe Is I		4.5/5
Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing		4.5/5
It was the best of sentences, it was the worst of sentences.		4.5/5
If you want more books on English language, click the link