As a noun, abandon means (1) unbounded enthusiasm, and (2) a complete surrender of inhibitions. It often appears in the phrases reckless abandon and wild abandon, and in fact some English usage authorities recommend against using the noun abandon outside these common phrases. The reason for this is that we have abandonment, a perfectly good noun corresponding to the verb abandon.
Examples
These writers use the noun abandon in the unquestionable way:
The debt limit has been treated with abandon by Republican and Democratic presidents and Congresses. [Los Angeles Times]
Players blaze through the early stages of each match with reckless abandon … [Telegraph]
Just like their federal Labor colleagues, they dumped leaders with abandon when polls showed a slump. [Herald Sun]
And here are a few examples of abandonment put to use:
It also means either a commitment to a rebel victory, or the abandonment of a defeated ally. [Winnipeg Free Press]
Whether the Saudis, who are still seething at what they see as his abandonment of Hosni Mubarak, would be willing to help out, is another question altogether. [New Republic]
The announcement is a tacit and regrettable abandonment of his public commitment to close the controversial prison … [Irish Times]
