as in to refuse
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Recent Examples of abstain
In a series of three votes Thursday, the ACIP members voted 5-1, with one member abstaining, to recommend that only single-dose flu vaccines be given to children, adults and pregnant women in the United States.
—
Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 26 June 2025
But while Boyle is proud of his influence on the zombie film landscape, he’s mostly abstained from watching any of those movies himself.
—Jake Kleinman, Wired News, 20 June 2025
It was opposed by Russia, China and Burkina Faso, while 11 nations abstained and two did not vote.
—Arkansas Online, 13 June 2025
Hardy-Waller ultimately abstained from the vote on whether to allow Advocate to open the new hospital.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for abstain
Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 26 June 2025
But while Boyle is proud of his influence on the zombie film landscape, he’s mostly abstained from watching any of those movies himself.
—Jake Kleinman, Wired News, 20 June 2025
It was opposed by Russia, China and Burkina Faso, while 11 nations abstained and two did not vote.
—Arkansas Online, 13 June 2025
Hardy-Waller ultimately abstained from the vote on whether to allow Advocate to open the new hospital.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for abstain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstain
Verb
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Her heir-apparent will have diminished authority, impossible expectations, and the unenviable task of modernizing an institution whose departing leader refuses to depart.—
Lilian Raji,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
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Bondi earlier this week refused to answer questions from reporters about the Epstein files.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 July 2025
Verb
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New York’s 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Maxwell’s appeal effort last year, finding that the deal drawn up in 2007 and approved the following year only protected Epstein and his coconspirators in South Florida.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
15 July 2025
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If anyone else tries such commands, the AGI and ASI reject them summarily.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
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According to Bengals senior writer Geoff Hobson, Burrow initially turned down the show, which premieres July 8.—
Kaycee Sloan,
The Enquirer,
7 July 2025
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Even after The Fast and the Furious had become a massive franchise, some stars still turned down parts in the films.—
Keith Langston,
People.com,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Don’t hesitate to end partnerships with contractors who aren’t aligned with your vision or delivering results.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
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In this way, the ellipsoid would change shape in jerky, hesitating motions, gradually exploring the space around it.—
Joseph Howlett,
Quanta Magazine,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Romney's Cass took Obama to task for opposing development of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge and for temporizing on the Keystone pipeline, while Obama's Aldy accused Romney of being insensitive to the environment and to the needs and desires of future generations.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
9 Oct. 2012
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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 22 Jul. 2025.
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