as in to refuse
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Recent Examples of abstain
On days when people abstain from eating meat, the most popular choice is fish, according to previous USA TODAY reporting.
—
Rin Velasco, The Providence Journal, 20 Feb. 2026
Fire Chief Steve Gollan added that people should wear life jackets on boats, never swim alone, abstain from drinking before and during water activities, and avoid diving headfirst from charter boats due to the presence of shallow waters.
—Megan Vaz, Sun Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026
Lent is a 40-day period preceding Easter weekend where Catholics fast, pray and may abstain from indulgence, like drinking alcohol or eating meat.
—Carlie Procell, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
But for those unable to reduce their opioid use or abstain altogether, harm reduction services and supplies like those offered by Merrill are a key component of preventing wounds, disease, and even death.
—Lev Facher, STAT, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abstain
Rin Velasco, The Providence Journal, 20 Feb. 2026
Fire Chief Steve Gollan added that people should wear life jackets on boats, never swim alone, abstain from drinking before and during water activities, and avoid diving headfirst from charter boats due to the presence of shallow waters.
—Megan Vaz, Sun Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026
Lent is a 40-day period preceding Easter weekend where Catholics fast, pray and may abstain from indulgence, like drinking alcohol or eating meat.
—Carlie Procell, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
But for those unable to reduce their opioid use or abstain altogether, harm reduction services and supplies like those offered by Merrill are a key component of preventing wounds, disease, and even death.
—Lev Facher, STAT, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abstain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstain
Verb
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Points are deducted if kids try to refuse at the last minute.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
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This is causing all sorts of interpersonal problems that HR has flatly refused to get involved with.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The big man drew a foul inside, sank a baby hook shot, rejected a shot by Suns counterpart Mark Williams and fed a pass to Sam Hauser for a layup.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
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These improvements came after Americans rejected soft-on-crime and defund-the-police policies, which resulted in a spike in crime over the previous 4 years.—
Gabe Evans,
Denver Post,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As local Fox affiliate WPMT reports, Mervin Raudabaugh, who has farmed the surrounding land for more than 60 years, turned down more than $15 million from data center developers in a package deal that involved three neighboring property owners as well.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
19 Feb. 2026
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That might explain why 90% of denial appeals in Florida are turned down.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did not hesitate when asked about his expectations for Mookie Betts.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Many users hesitate to upload ID scans or biometric selfies to access gaming servers or community groups.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Feb. 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 25 Feb. 2026.
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