Word of the Day
June 24, 2026
Abdicate
A verb meaning to cast off or surrender a responsibility, right, or power, often a formal one such as a throne or a public duty.
From the Latin 'abdicare,' to disown or renounce, formed from 'ab-' (away) and 'dicare' (to proclaim).
Usage Examples
- Council members abdicate their oversight role when they hand zoning decisions to unelected staff.
- A monarch may abdicate the throne, while an elected official answers to the voters.
- She warned that Congress had abdicated its duty by delegating lawmaking to federal agencies.
From the Show
The word fit a recurring theme on June 24, when engaged citizen Mike Rawluk warned that Arvada and Jefferson County officials were moving to abdicate land-use oversight to unelected staff. Kim Monson tied the pattern to a wider erosion of accountable government across the June 24, 2026 broadcast.