abstinence

noun ab·sti·nence \ ˈab-stə-nən(t)s \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Examples: abstinence in a Sentence

Definition of abstinence

1 : the practice of abstaining from something : the practice of not doing or having something that is wanted or enjoyable

… ate with a haste and an apparent relish, that seemed to betoken long abstinence from food.
—Walter Scott

2 a : habitual abstaining from intoxicating beverages

b : abstention from sexual intercourse

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abstinent

play \-nənt\ adjective

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abstinently

adverb

See abstinence defined for English-language learners

See abstinence defined for kids

Examples of abstinence in a Sentence

The program promoted sexual abstinence for young people.
a cleric vainly preaching abstinence in a world where self-indulgence is regarded as almost a virtue

Recent Examples of abstinence from the Web

This means Massachusetts students are vulnerable to incomplete information, including abstinence-only programs that studies have shown do not reduce teen pregnancies.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Should the Legislature adopt the bill aimed at modernizing sex education in Massachusetts?," 1 June 2018
During Ramadan, abstinence is not just restricted to foods and liquids.

— said ahmed-zaid, idahostatesman, "Finding purpose in fasting during Ramadan | Idaho Statesman," 21 May 2018
Practicing abstinence, using condoms, and having fewer partners and getting the HPV vaccine can prevent gonorrhea and other STD infections, the CDC said.

— lauren castle, azcentral, "U.K. man contracts drug-resistant gonorrhea; Arizona sees rise in cases," 6 Apr. 2018
The Trump administration has issued new rules for funding programs to prevent teenage pregnancy, favoring those that promote abstinence and not requiring as rigorous evidence of effectiveness.

— pam belluck, New York Times, "Trump Administration Pushes Abstinence in Teen Pregnancy Programs," 23 Apr. 2018
These latest financial grant guidelines suggests the Trump Administration is interested in continuing the grants, according to BuzzFeed News, but reversing the focus to make abstinence the priority.

— linley sanders, Teen Vogue, "Trump's New Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grant Guidelines Demand Sex Be Called a "Risk"," 23 Apr. 2018
Scott notes that the results, particularly the findings about abstinence, shouldn’t be interpreted as absolving marijuana from potential cognitive deficits.

— alice park, Time, "How Smoking Pot May Hurt the Teenage Brain," 18 Apr. 2018
Cassandra McIntosh, a psychologist specializing in counseling, believes that this all-or-nothing abstinence methodology leads to worse outcomes.

— zachary siegel, WIRED, "Addiction Rehab is Broken. Can Technology Fix It?," 1 Apr. 2018
When her test came back negative and the administrator began an invocation for her abstinence, however, her stomach sank.

— claire landsbaum, The Hive, "“Trump Is Stirring the Pot”: The Hot-Button Supreme Court Case That Could Explode the Culture Wars," 21 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abstinence.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of abstinence

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin abstinentia, noun derivative of abstinent-, abstinens, present participle of abstinēre "to abstain"

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year