as in to refuse
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Recent Examples of abstain
That doesn’t mean Dumars and Weaver will abstain from activity before the trade deadline.
—
Zach Harper, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
As Worthington previously told Entertainment Weekly, Neteyam's death serves to activate a fighter's spirit in Jake, who's been trying to abstain from battle.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
New guidance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises that people abstain from cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation and recommends that providers ask all of their patients about cannabis use before, during and after pregnancy to help avoid potential risks.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
Galicia Lopez was also ordered to abstain from alcohol and drugs, pay $370 in fines and fees and pay restitution in an amount to be determined in the future, prosecutors added.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abstain
Zach Harper, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
As Worthington previously told Entertainment Weekly, Neteyam's death serves to activate a fighter's spirit in Jake, who's been trying to abstain from battle.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
New guidance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises that people abstain from cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation and recommends that providers ask all of their patients about cannabis use before, during and after pregnancy to help avoid potential risks.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
Galicia Lopez was also ordered to abstain from alcohol and drugs, pay $370 in fines and fees and pay restitution in an amount to be determined in the future, prosecutors added.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abstain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstain
Verb
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By refusing to specify details of the case, the government keeps the possibility alive of changing their reasoning or their claims to have the same effect for different reasons—just as the mob changes its reasoning for killing Cinna.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Oct. 2025
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If Taiwan refuses to capitulate in a quarantine or blockade, an invasion could follow.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At that meeting, Buchanan's reappointment to a full five-year term on the housing authority's board was rejected in a 6-2 decision, with two city directors absent.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Oct. 2025
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Scholtes rejected a second-degree murder plea deal in March 2025 that would have resulted in a sentence of 10 to 25 years, according to previous reporting by The Arizona Republic.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Be forewarned, though, that consumers with lower credit scores may get turned down.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
26 Oct. 2025
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The thermostats in the residence above had been turned down low because of President Jimmy Carter’s energy conservation program, making the East Wing so cold that she was forced to wear long underwear.—
Darlene Superville,
Denver Post,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The man at the door didn’t hesitate.—
Katie Thornton,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
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Crew members can make recommendations, too, so don’t hesitate to ask them.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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Even groups long noted for opposing nuclear power, such as the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Sierra Club, seem quietly ready to temporize on practical matters, such as allowing existing plants to continue as transitional energy sources.—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harper’s Magazine ,
4 Jan. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Abstain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstain. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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