Abstoßen

Abstoßen is a German verb with several related meanings that share the idea of moving something away or creating separation. It is used in physical, social, and economic contexts, and its nuance depends on the situation, often with the prefix ab- indicating removal or detachment.

In the literal, physical sense abstoßen means to push something away. It is a separable verb: er stößt ab, er stieß ab, er hat abgestoßen. Example: Der Hund stieß den Mann von sich ab. The action can also describe repulsion between objects in physics or daily speech, such as two like charges or magnets: Gleichnamige Ladungen stoßen sich ab.

In social or behavioral contexts abstoßen describes causing others to reject or distance themselves. People or behavior can "stören" or "abstoßen" someone, and the related adjective abstoßend denotes something repulsive: sein Verhalten ist abstoßend.

In business and finance abstoßen means to dispose of, divest, or sell off assets, subsidiaries, or business units. Typical formulations are: die Tochtergesellschaft abstoßen, Aktiva abstoßen, or das Unternehmen abstoßen.

Usage notes: abstoßen is a separable verb and forms the past participle abgestoßen (with haben in perfect). The prefix ab- consistently signals detachment or removal, whether describing a physical action, a repulsive interaction, or a strategic divestment.