Definition of ascetic
1 : practicing strict self-denial as a measure of personal and especially spiritual discipline an ascetic monk an ascetic diet
2 : austere in appearance, manner, or attitude
ascetic
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Examples of ascetic in a Sentence
Patterson's collection begins on the walls of the stairway to his basement. “That's where Cindy draws the line. That's probably a real good idea,” he says. Mattsson, ascetic for a bachelor, imposes the same rule on himself. LeBeau, who has never been married, is much less restrained. —Tom Harpole, Air & Space, December 1999/January 2000
By Hollywood standards, Calley's career path may seem enigmatic, but then, so is his personality. If Mark Canton, the previous Sony president, was the boastful, Armani-clad big spender, Calley is downright ascetic, a man who disdains Hollywood profligacy. —Peter Bart, GQ, August 1997
He converted to Catholicism and, after a long period of intense self-questioning, became a Trappist monk at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky, which, at the time, was as ascetic and demanding as any monastery of the Middle Ages. —Julius Lester, Falling Pieces of the Broken Sky, 1990
Recent Examples of ascetic from the Web
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To achieve the EPA’s fuel-economy estimates, though, drivers will need to adopt ascetic driving behaviors, including snail-like acceleration and languid deceleration that bottle up traffic behind you.
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Allen’s long, ascetic face, with narrow eyes and raised eyebrows, lends him an expression of perpetual seriousness that belies his sardonic good humor.
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The descendants of Sheikh Mohammed bin Abd al-Wahhab, the 18th-century imam whose ascetic brand of Islam dominates Saudi Arabia, have demanded that Qatar remove his name from its biggest mosque.
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The descendants of Sheikh Mohammed bin Abd al-Wahhab, the 18th century imam whose ascetic brand of Islam dominates Saudi Arabia, have demanded that Qatar remove his name from its biggest mosque, which opened in 2011.
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SHE IS a dietary ascetic, a consequence of stomach issues and acid reflux.
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SHE IS a dietary ascetic, a consequence of stomach issues and acid reflux.
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SHE IS a dietary ascetic, a consequence of stomach issues and acid reflux.
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Ichiro is sleek and lithe, his ascetic face framed by wraparound shades.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ascetic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Ascetic comes from "askētikos," a Greek adjective meaning "laborious," and ultimately traces back to the Greek verb askein, which means "exercise" or "work." There aren't many other English words from "askein," but there's no dearth of synonyms for "ascetic." "Severe" and "austere," for example, are two words that share with "ascetic" the basic meaning "given to or marked by strict discipline and firm restraint." "Ascetic" implies abstention from pleasure, comfort, or self-indulgence as a spiritual discipline, whereas "severe" implies standards enforced without indulgence or laxity and may suggest harshness (as in "severe military discipline"). "Austere" stresses absence of warmth, color, or feeling and may apply to rigorous restraint, simplicity, or self-denial (as in "living an austere life in the country").
Origin and Etymology of ascetic
Greek askētikos, literally, laborious, from askētēs one that exercises, hermit, from askein to work, exercise
Synonym Discussion of ascetic
ASCETIC Defined for English Language Learners
ascetic
playDefinition of ascetic for English Language Learners
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: relating to or having a strict and simple way of living that avoids physical pleasure
Learn More about ascetic
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See words that rhyme with ascetic Spanish Central: Translation of ascetic Nglish: Translation of ascetic for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of ascetic for Arabic speakers
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