abstained

Definition of abstainednext
past tense of abstain

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstained
Verb
  • Orbán, who refused to sever Hungary’s ties to Moscow following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has repeatedly obstructed European efforts to aid Kyiv.
    Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
  • That year’s Republican National Convention filled its programming with second-raters (Scott Baio gave a prime-time speech), while Ted Cruz and other speakers refused to endorse Trump onstage; National Review famously published a special issue denouncing him.
    Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The government has rejected calls to give bereaved families more time to pay.
    Marc Shoffman, TheWeek, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The government rejected any restrictions, citing national security.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The Ukrainian president has proposed a halt to fighting on a number of occasions, but has been turned down by Moscow.
    Reuters, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Exorcism continued The Dublin Underground turned down the music so the poet and the scientists could talk.
    Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Dean Kim, master baker and founder of OC Baking Company, said that Schwarz was the kind of chef who never hesitated to show up for others.
    Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 9 Apr. 2026
  • After a dramatic Easter weekend for the war in Iran—downed American fighter jets, a daring rescue behind enemy lines, and strikes on universities and petrochemical plants—traders hesitated at Monday’s opening bell.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Assad lied and temporized, the official said.
    Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry

“Abstained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstained. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.

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