abstained

verb

past tense of abstain
as in refused

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstained
  1. refused
  2. rejected
  3. turned down
  4. hesitated
  5. temporized
Verb
  • Around Tahereh were people who refused to accept that her fate was predetermined.
    — Tanaz Eshaghian, Time, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Last year, most of the Pentagon press corps refused to sign on, and vacated their regular spaces at the complex.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of refused
Verb
  • She’s gotten used to trying, and trying again; while applying for fiction writing classes in college, Adeyemi says, she was rejected five semesters in a row.
    — Wisdom Iheanyichukwu, Vanity Fair, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The three Republicans on the court backed the proposal, arguing the poll sites were underutilized, while the two Democrats rejected it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of rejected
Verb
  • Residents turned down an advisory referendum asking if fruit trees should be banned as part of the village’s ongoing rodent abatement program.
    — Alicia Fabbre, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2026
  • How Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith, at the precipice of becoming generational voices themselves, turned down his invitation to join the madness.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of turned down
Verb
  • Lee hesitated when New Orleans Ballet Theatre commissioned the piece in 2016 as a full-company show-closer, giving her a short rehearsal period.
    — Guillermo Perez, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Students who were comfortable explaining concepts suddenly hesitated.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of hesitated
Verb
  • Assad lied and temporized, the official said.
    — Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of temporized
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

abstain
abstained
abstained (from)
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Cite this Entry

“Abstained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstained. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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