🇬🇧 Abortion meaning: English Vocabulary Flash Card

Sometimes people use the word “abortion” in a non-literal way to describe something that turns out extremely bad, ugly, or terribly done, almost like a project or plan that went completely wrong from start to finish. It’s a strong, negative word people might use when they feel very disappointed or shocked at how badly something turned out.

My first attempt at online karaoke was such an abortion that the microphone tried to file for early retirement.

Our attempt at a band was an abortion; the drummer lost the beat, the singer lost the key, and I lost my dignity.

My haircut was such an abortion that my own reflection asked for a refund.

My attempt to juggle eggs was an abortion that turned the kitchen into an omelet museum.

Our family photo was an abortion: someone blinked, someone sneezed, and Grandpa was eating a sock for some reason.

A school play became an abortion: sets collapsed, costumes tangled, and the lead forgot lines. The lighting crew's cue was an abortion; the prop door jammed, an abortion of timing. Parents gasped at each abortion. The kids stopped, then laughed together. That shared shrug turned the night's abortion into a small, hopeful lesson.

This word is at the C2 level, which means it represents the highest mastery of English. It’s often used in specialized or highly formal contexts and helps you communicate with precision and subtlety, much like a native speaker.

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