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 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
Tony Perrottet, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-denying
Adjective
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Once inside, warm, tropical breezes flow into the hotel’s ascetic, nevertheless grand lobby, wafting you towards a magical cloister filled with plants and robust Botero sculptures.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
13 Jan. 2026
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The bulk of the album has been painted with a similarly ascetic palette.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
6 Jan. 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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The dammuso stays temperate thanks to its 19-to-23-inch-thick stone walls, which slowly absorb heat during the day and release it at night, and its domes—more than 13-feet tall—that allow rising heat to dissipate above the living spaces.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
8 Feb. 2026
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His tone is temperate, but the words echo through the State Capitol’s Assembly chamber, the august backdrop for his speech.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-denying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-denying. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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