ABSTAINING Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

abstaining

verb

present participle of abstain

as in refusing

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstaining

Verb

That same day, another federal district judge in a separate case in California barred DOJ from threatening election workers with criminal prosecution for refusing to stop processing ballots or resisting other demands.

— Dan Mangan,Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026
Tanner McKee looked like a backup all night, holding the ball, taking sacks, refusing to throw downfield and turning the ball over twice.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of refusing

Verb

Idahoans were on track to keep the keys to the state’s drug policy Tuesday evening, with two-thirds of voters rejecting a measure that would take the future legalization of marijuana out of their hands.

— Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 3 Nov. 2026
Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment strengthening the state’s most visible form of direct democracy, months after overwhelmingly rejecting a proposal that would weaken it.

— Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of rejecting

Verb

By the late 1970s, the architect Norman Jaffe was turning down nine out of ten potential clients.

— Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 3 Nov. 2026
After 12 years, three standalone movies and a holiday special, Amanda Seyfried appears to have no regrets turning down a Guardians of the Galaxy lead role.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of turning down

Verb

With more than seven million people packed into over 9,000 high-rises, efficiency is key here, and people will judge you for holding up lines, hesitating with your Octopus card, or lingering over your dim sum table while others are waiting.

— Lee Cobaj, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
But experts have worried that doctors are hesitating to offer treatment without an ironclad diagnosis, which clinicians say can take time and increase risks to the mother.

— Andrea Suozzo, ProPublica, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of hesitating

Verb

Californians have kept our end of that bargain, but insurance companies have broken their side of the promise by denying, delaying and underpaying valid claims and dropping coverage.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
The tool has been blamed by doctors and patients for delaying necessary care.

— Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of delaying

Verb

With shot numbers declining, a study found more babies are at risk of bleeding.

— Dr. Jade Cobern, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026
Public fallout Despite all his success, though, his relationship with the national team has slowly soured over the last few years – much in part due to his declining performances on the field.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of declining

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“Abstaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstaining. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of abstaining

verb

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