as in purity
abstention from sexual intercourse
a widower who has maintained absolute celibacy since the death of his wife
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Recent Examples of celibacy
Gunn is in good company in the Hollywood celibacy club.
—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
As the world outside begins to resemble the full-moon mating frenzy of the opalescent squid, crack open Sylvia Townsend Warner’s 1948 novel about nuns eking out an existence in a 14th-century convent and one night of celibacy might not seem so bad.
—
Air Mail,
14 Feb. 2026
Nearly three centuries later, the Shaker founder could become an unlikely icon for Gen Z, who are bringing celibacy back in staggeringly high numbers, according to a slew of recent studies.
—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
The celibacy edict eventually contributed to the demise of the Harmonists, who left Indiana in 1824 and moved east to Economie, Pennsylvania.
—
Domenica Bongiovanni,
IndyStar,
30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for celibacy
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
As the world outside begins to resemble the full-moon mating frenzy of the opalescent squid, crack open Sylvia Townsend Warner’s 1948 novel about nuns eking out an existence in a 14th-century convent and one night of celibacy might not seem so bad.
—
Air Mail,
14 Feb. 2026
Nearly three centuries later, the Shaker founder could become an unlikely icon for Gen Z, who are bringing celibacy back in staggeringly high numbers, according to a slew of recent studies.
—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
The celibacy edict eventually contributed to the demise of the Harmonists, who left Indiana in 1824 and moved east to Economie, Pennsylvania.
—
Domenica Bongiovanni,
IndyStar,
30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for celibacy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for celibacy
Noun
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The report concluded that gummies face stability challenges and that powders remain the more reliable format for hitting a clinical dose, with strong purity and low degradation across the brands tested.
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Due to Chantal’s philosophy of minimal intervention and restrained oak aging, the purity of the fruit, complex savory notes derived from the fractured sandstone soils, and a subtle hint of salinity ran through all of the wines.
Noun
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Homer approves equally of the man’s satisfactions and the woman’s chastity.
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Youth media had a specific fixation on virginity and chastity just then.
Noun
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For this class, federal action (or inaction) makes or breaks their communities and livelihoods, with their frustration channeled through abstinence in the political process.
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What may be more important, according to Elton, is the psychological value of abstinence.
Cite this Entry
“Celibacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/celibacy. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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