ABSTAINED Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

abstained

verb

past tense of abstain

as in refused

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstained

Verb

But the breaking point came when his wife refused to let their young children near any of his half-century-old vehicles, which lacked air bags and the safety features standard in even the cheapest modern cars.

— Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 10 July 2026
The driver refused to comply with the officer’s commands and barricaded himself inside the home.

— Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026

Definition of refused

Verb

The Senate, the upper house where conservatives hold a majority, rejected the bill.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 July 2026
Born in 1946 amid the bombing of Frankfurt, Ruppert instead developed a psychosexual cosmology that rejected neat distinctions between prey and predator.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026

Definition of rejected

Verb

Twenty years ago, European broadcasters desperate to scale — to get big or die — got turned down by regulators not yet convinced this new-fangled internet was all that.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
The local Paiute tribes, expert with horses, have offered their services but were turned down.

— Steve Searles, Mercury News, 8 July 2026

Definition of turned down

Verb

The French back line hesitated for a brief second, anticipating a potential foul, but Porro pressed the advantage and side-footed a shot past Mike Maignan in the 58th minute for the backbreaking goal.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
Family described him as a kind and humble man who worked hard and never hesitated to help others.

— Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026

Definition of hesitated

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abstain

abstained

abstained (from)

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“Abstained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstained. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of abstained

verb

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