Synonyms of abstinent

abstinent

adjective

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ascetic
• abstemious
• temperate
• sober
• continent
• self-denying
• self-abnegating
• abstentious
• austere
• disciplined
• self-controlled
• self-disciplined
• self-governed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• gluttonous
• hedonistic
• sensual
• greedy
• voracious
• voluptuous
• rapacious
• self-indulgent
• sybaritic
• masturbatory
• onanistic
• voluptuary
• self-pleasing
• Cyrenaic

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of abstinent

The body of research on non-abstinent recovery has been growing as well. — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026

Not everybody needs to spend the rest of their life totally abstinent with a cup of shitty coffee in a Styrofoam cup regurgitating platitudes. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026

One of the sacrifices Dolan mentioned in his speech was staying abstinent. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026

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