abstention

noun

ab·​sten·​tion əb-ˈsten(t)-shən 

ab-

: the act or practice of abstaining: such as

a

: the act or practice of choosing not to do or have something

abstention from drugs and alcohol

a long period of abstention [=abstinence]

b

: a formal refusal to vote on something

There were 10 ayes, 6 nays, and 2 abstentions.

abstentious

əb-ˈsten(t)-shəs 

ab-

adjective

Examples of abstention in a Sentence

There were 10 ayes, 6 nays, and 2 abstentions when the vote was taken.

a high rate of voter abstention

Recent Examples on the Web

The resolution — and the U.S. abstention — infuriated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who canceled a planned visit by Israeli officials to Washington. —Bryan Pietsch, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024

After the historic abstention by one of its closest allies, Israel abruptly canceled the visit of a high-level delegation to Washington this week. —Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 26 Mar. 2024

Related article Netanyahu’s decision to cancel Rafah meetings causes new rupture with Biden Netanyahu’s decision to cancel official meetings in Washington in protest of the US’ abstention has left American officials perplexed. —Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024

The abstention was a sign of the growing rift between the two allies. —Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 26 Mar. 2024

The resolution was ultimately adopted with 23 abstentions. —Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 13 Dec. 2023

The House bill, known as HB 237, passed out of the chamber with a vote of 94-6 with 3 abstentions. —Devon M. Sayers, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024

Moscow’s abstention allowed the resolution to pass, and some of the Houthi strikes have unintentionally hit ships carrying Russian oil. —Hamidreza Azizi, Foreign Affairs, 14 Feb. 2024

The bill cleared a Senate committee on a bipartisan 13-0 vote with two Republican abstentions. —Sarah Rankin, Quartz, 7 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin abstentiōn-, abstentiō, from Latin absten-, variant stem of abstinēre "to abstain" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

1521, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

abstention

noun

ab·​sten·​tion əb-ˈsten-chən 

ab-

: the act or practice of abstaining

especially : a formal refusal to vote

3 ayes, 5 nays, and 2 abstentions

Legal Definition

abstention

noun

ab·​sten·​tion əb-ˈsten-chən 

: the staying of the exercise of federal jurisdiction in a case that involves a question of state law or policy which the federal court prefers to have resolved by a state court or agency

also : the staying of the exercise of federal jurisdiction in a case that involves a proceeding in a court of military justice

— Burford abstention \ ˈbər-​fərd-​ \

: an abstention grounded on the involvement in the federal case of a challenge to the exercise of a usually complex state administrative function

— Colorado River abstention \ ˌkä-​lə-​ˈra-​dō-​, -​ˈrä-​ \

: an abstention grounded especially on the involvement in the federal case of questions of state concern that are also at issue in a parallel case in state court

— Pullman abstention \ ˈpu̇l-​mən-​ \

: an abstention grounded on the involvement in the federal case of the interpretation of an ambiguously worded state law whose constitutionality would have to be determined by the federal court

Note: A party to a case subjected to a Pullman abstention may reserve the right to return to federal court once the state court has resolved the state law question. Pullman abstentions are the most common type of abstention.

— Thibodaux abstention \ ˌtē-​bə-​ˈdō-​ \

: an abstention grounded on the involvement in the federal case of an issue that greatly affects and concerns a state

— Younger abstention \ ˈyəŋ-​gər-​ \

: an abstention grounded on the plaintiff's invocation of federal jurisdiction for the purpose of restraining an ongoing usually criminal state proceeding that has been brought in good faith and not for harassment