as in ascetic
given to or marked by restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites
found the self-denying life of the monks at the monastery unexpectedly appealing
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Recent Examples of self-denying
The tension between the self-denying demands of being a Kennedy wife and Carolyn’s assured self-determination sets the framework for this love story.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
The thriving wineries of modern-day Australia would no doubt astonish those Lutheran pioneers, not to mention the self-denying John Muir — although they surely would be fascinated by how botany has been modernized and commercialized.
—Tony Perrottet, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2024
Director Olivier Py’s production, staged here by director Daniel Izzo, takes the blacks, grays and whites of the nun’s habit and turns them into a visual metaphor for self-denying modesty.
—Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Oct. 2022
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
The thriving wineries of modern-day Australia would no doubt astonish those Lutheran pioneers, not to mention the self-denying John Muir — although they surely would be fascinated by how botany has been modernized and commercialized.
—Tony Perrottet, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2024
Director Olivier Py’s production, staged here by director Daniel Izzo, takes the blacks, grays and whites of the nun’s habit and turns them into a visual metaphor for self-denying modesty.
—Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Oct. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-denying
Adjective
-
The overall aesthetic was slightly ascetic without being spartan—a pale, neutral color palette; simple, modern furniture; a few pieces of abstract art.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The first follows the Rajput king Ratansen of Chitor (a fortress in what is now Chittorgarh, Rajasthan), who renounces his throne and travels as a yogi (wandering ascetic) to the island kingdom of Simhal to win the legendary Padmavati.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 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
-
His first term now looks practically abstemious.—
Erin Neil,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
With temperate weather that allows for swimming, snorkeling, and forest spelunking, these getaways are also prime locations for napping to the gentle sound of waves by the beach.—
Skyli Alvarez,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 May 2026
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Climate change pushes both sides of the equation, expanding the range and season length of Aedes mosquitoes in temperate regions while intensifying transmission in the tropics that feeds the flow of infected travelers.—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-denying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-denying. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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