austerity
noun
aus·ter·i·ty
ȯ-ˈster-ə-tē 
-ˈste-rə-,
also -ˈstir-ə-
plural austerities
1
: the quality or state of being austere: such as
a
: a stern and serious quality
the formal austerity of his manner
b
: a plain and simple quality
the austerity of the design
2
: enforced or extreme economy especially on a national scale
lived through years of austerity after the war
fiscal austerity
a series of austerity measures [=measures taken to reduce spending]
3
a
: an austere act, manner, or attitude
monastic self-denial and austerities
b
: an ascetic (see ascetic sense 1) practice
Examples of austerity in a Sentence
the austerity of the design
The austerity of their lifestyle was surprising.
They lived through years of austerity after the war.
the austerities practiced by monks
Recent Examples on the Web
The latest austerity budget–which included a freeze to welfare benefits, healthcare spending cuts, and more—would have also disproportionately hurt working people.
—
Cole Stangler, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
France’s Prime Minister Francois Bayrou delivers his general policy statement during the parliamentary extraordinary session prior to a confidence vote over the government’s austerity budget, at the National Assembly in Paris on September 8, 2025.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
Coalescing under Macron’s pro-business, austerity-lite budget to tackle the country’s ballooning public debt is not their priority, nor mutual interest.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
The graft and fraud investigations signal that state corruption which helped plunge Greece into a 2009-2018 debt crisis persists, despite reforms and tough austerity under three international bailouts.
—Angeliki Koutantou, Reuters, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for austerity
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Cole Stangler, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
France’s Prime Minister Francois Bayrou delivers his general policy statement during the parliamentary extraordinary session prior to a confidence vote over the government’s austerity budget, at the National Assembly in Paris on September 8, 2025.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
Coalescing under Macron’s pro-business, austerity-lite budget to tackle the country’s ballooning public debt is not their priority, nor mutual interest.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
The graft and fraud investigations signal that state corruption which helped plunge Greece into a 2009-2018 debt crisis persists, despite reforms and tough austerity under three international bailouts.
—Angeliki Koutantou, Reuters, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for austerity
Cite this Entry
“Austerity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/austerity. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
austerity
noun
aus·ter·i·ty
ȯ-ˈster-ət-ē
plural austerities
1
: the quality or state of being austere
2
: an austere act, manner, or attitude
3
: a way of living with few or no luxuries
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