as in to refuse
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Recent Examples of abstain
Most people know Ramadan as the month when Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset—no, not even water.
—
Sarah Khan, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026
During Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, prayer and reflection, Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset.
—Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 8 Mar. 2026
During the holiday, which runs from April 1 through April 9 this year, Jews abstain from bread that has risen and rely heavily on the unleavened bread for meals.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Lent is a time between Ash Wednesday and the Eastern Triduum where practitioners are asked to fast, abstain, and serve in honor of Jesus’s 40-day fasting before his public service.
—Matthew Kayser, Ascend Agency, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abstain
Sarah Khan, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026
During Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, prayer and reflection, Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset.
—Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 8 Mar. 2026
During the holiday, which runs from April 1 through April 9 this year, Jews abstain from bread that has risen and rely heavily on the unleavened bread for meals.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Lent is a time between Ash Wednesday and the Eastern Triduum where practitioners are asked to fast, abstain, and serve in honor of Jesus’s 40-day fasting before his public service.
—Matthew Kayser, Ascend Agency, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abstain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstain
Verb
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Increasingly, judges are opting to sanction lawyers who submit briefs tainted by AI errors, Moylan said, sometimes fining those who refuse to admit wrongdoing or referring them to their state’s bar association for disciplinary actions.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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Like the impish anti-romance that crumbles around it, the movie’s twist is both transgressive enough to be pleased with itself and also rooted in a reality that refuses to be dismissed as a bad joke.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Olsson rejects The Athletic’s offer to take cover inside the coffee shop.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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Last week, for example, the UK government rejected plans by a Chinese company, Ming Yang, to invest in a Scottish factory to produce wind turbine blades, citing national security reasons.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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No one has turned down a request to be interviewed, and many episodes are already completed.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
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The show includes so many details about accommodating autism in a medical setting, as seen with Langdon’s bedside manner and particularly his request for Mel to turn down the lights.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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From coordinating painting, flooring and cabinet removal to troubleshooting daily obstacles during the summer, Higman answered every call, provided solutions and never hesitated to step in, according to Filamor.—
Cyril A. Reinicke,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
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Alvarez, seeing his pitcher hesitate, tapped his helmet for a challenge.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Assad lied and temporized, the official said.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
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Accompanying these principles must be a rejection of the impulse to temporize about the dangers that confront us and a rejection of the bizarre deprecation of our nation and civilization.—
Peter J. Travers,
National Review,
29 Mar. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Abstain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstain. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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