as in ascetic
given to or marked by restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites
grew up in a family where abstinent behavior was expected and self-indulgence of any kind was scorned and castigated
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Recent Examples of abstinent
Like Ash Wednesday, Good Friday is a day where Catholics are obliged to fast and stay abstinent throughout the day until midnight.
—
Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Apr. 2026
At the end of six months, those who had taken just one dose of psilocybin had more than six times greater odds of being abstinent from cigarettes than their counterparts who relied on the nicotine substitute.
—Will Stone, NPR, 10 Mar. 2026
Some people want to remain abstinent to focus on their own personal growth, while others have resorted to it after becoming frustrated with today's dating culture.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Ivan Neville has been on a few times and always talks being abstinent.
—Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
As a purist, Murray defines sobriety as being completely abstinent from habit-forming substances that could cause dependency, including prescription drugs like Xanax and Suboxone.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 23 Sep. 2025
Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Apr. 2026
At the end of six months, those who had taken just one dose of psilocybin had more than six times greater odds of being abstinent from cigarettes than their counterparts who relied on the nicotine substitute.
—Will Stone, NPR, 10 Mar. 2026
Some people want to remain abstinent to focus on their own personal growth, while others have resorted to it after becoming frustrated with today's dating culture.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Ivan Neville has been on a few times and always talks being abstinent.
—Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
As a purist, Murray defines sobriety as being completely abstinent from habit-forming substances that could cause dependency, including prescription drugs like Xanax and Suboxone.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstinent
Adjective
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Housed in a bulletproof case, the delicate bones reveal the saint’s ascetic life while strict security protects relics from historical theft.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
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Later in life Foucault will become more ascetic, but not yet.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Lunchtimes are more abstemious with avocado and tuna packed poke bowls and watermelon salad at the W lounge.—
Jemima Sissons,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
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His first term now looks practically abstemious.—
Erin Neil,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Great white sharks frequently travel north in the summer and south in the winter, a habit experts suspect has to do with preferring more temperate waters.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Mar. 2026
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The answer was right under its nose—the original site of Art Basel, the namesake of the companies’ major cultural piece of IP, which also happens to be within the serene borders of Switzerland but in a more temperate Rhineland climate.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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He’s not known for incisive analysis, depth of knowledge or sober judgment — qualities that distinguished most of his predecessors.—
Steve Chapman,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
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The oil market looked at the same information and reached a more sober conclusion.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The San Jose Sharks missed an opportunity Tuesday to finish a cross-continent road trip on a positive note and make up some ground in their bid for a playoff spot.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
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Recent developments include cross-continent robotic surgeries between Rome and Beijing.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abstinent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstinent. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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