1
as in temperance
voluntary restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites
a cleric vainly preaching abstinence in a world where self-indulgence is regarded as almost a virtue
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in purity
abstention from sexual intercourse
an AIDS-prevention program that relies primarily on abstinence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abstinence
So why do abstinence-only models remain so prominent?
—
Gwilym Roddick, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026
The fasting and abstinence are to practice self-control and come from the original penitence practice of the observation.
—Matthew Kayser, Ascend Agency, 26 Feb. 2026
Holy Thursday isn't considered a day of fasting or abstinence.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Feb. 2026
Holy Thursday isn't considered a day of fasting or abstinence.
—Marina Johnson, IndyStar, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abstinence
Gwilym Roddick, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026
The fasting and abstinence are to practice self-control and come from the original penitence practice of the observation.
—Matthew Kayser, Ascend Agency, 26 Feb. 2026
Holy Thursday isn't considered a day of fasting or abstinence.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Feb. 2026
Holy Thursday isn't considered a day of fasting or abstinence.
—Marina Johnson, IndyStar, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abstinence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstinence
Noun
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The temperance, abolition, and civil-rights movements in America were all motivated in part by religious convictions.—
Luis Parrales,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
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Then, strong reform and radical movements to abolish slavery and to advocate for world peace, temperance, and women’s suffrage flourished.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Attempts to resolve ecological responsibility through strict localism often risk sliding into cultural provincialism or nationalist enclosure—fantasies of purity that ignore how deeply entangled our lives already are.—
Manuela Moscoso,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
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In fact, according to the real meaning behind Easter colors, the color white symbolizes purity, grace, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the culmination of the Easter season.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Gunn is in good company in the Hollywood celibacy club.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
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As the world outside begins to resemble the full-moon mating frenzy of the opalescent squid, crack open Sylvia Townsend Warner’s 1948 novel about nuns eking out an existence in a 14th-century convent and one night of celibacy might not seem so bad.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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If one revisits the past to dispel myths, one worth dispelling is that of a lost era of chastity.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
18 Feb. 2026
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In a nutshell, chastity is the practice of orgasm denial, often through a device like a dedicated cage.—
Mikelle Street,
Them.,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Van Winkle’s sign said that bombing for peace was the equivalent of procreating for virginity.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
3 Mar. 2026
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But keeping to the setting's standards of virginity and purity, only widow Violet can get away with it.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abstinence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstinence. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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