abstaining

Definition of abstainingnext
present participle of abstain

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstaining
Verb
  • Most of the time, a child who is shoving at the playground or refusing to take turns with the blocks at daycare is just testing the boundaries of acceptable behavior.
    Melissa Willets, Parents, 5 Feb. 2026
  • The Clintons agreed to testify later this month after initially refusing and facing a potential contempt vote.
    Terry Collins, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • In Gingles’ apartment, investigators found a letter from the DMV in Texas, dated less than two weeks before the murders, rejecting an application for a Texas certificate of title for a vehicle.
    Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Even Republican districts are rejecting the rapid buildout of ICE detention facilities in their communities.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • When asked about the best techniques for defusing tense encounters while still maintaining the right to protect, civil rights advocates in Connecticut are generally recommending online training in turning down the heat on face-to-face encounters with ICE agents or counter-protestors.
    Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Torquing and turning down a mountain at 85 miles per hour without an ACL – its sole anatomical purpose is to connect the femur to the tibia and protect the bones from shifting – is, at best, not recommended and, at worst, slightly reckless.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • However, if large enterprises are hesitating to commit and implement, that’s a broader industry headwind impacting everyone, not just SAP.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The appeals court, however, said staying the injunction serves the public interest by preventing federal agents from hesitating while carrying out lawful duties.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Bushman, who was posted with the CDC, got a medical waiver delaying her deployment on account of stress and grief.
    Amy Maxmen, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
  • His company has mitigated tariff expenses by delaying store expansion and purchasing roasting equipment before the tariffs went into effect.
    Lori Ann LaRocco, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • According to the Iowa Cancer Registry, lung cancer incidence rates are declining slower in Iowa than in other states.
    Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Measles-vaccination rates have been steadily declining for several years; since last January, the country has logged its two largest measles epidemics in more than three decades.
    Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Abstaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstaining. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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