Definition:

marked by rigorous restraint, simplicity, or self–denial

Words It Might Replace:

simple or plain, especially when you're describing something that is strict or without comfort

Example:

"This is the austere beauty of the desert: limitless vistas, clear skies, dramatic topography, an unforgiving environment for life of any kind." – James Fallows, The Atlantic, October 2008

Photo: Guilherme Jofili / flickr