abstaining

verb

present participle of abstain
as in refusing

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstaining
  1. refusing
  2. rejecting
  3. turning down
  4. hesitating
  5. delaying
  6. declining
Verb
  • The engineer abruptly resigned after refusing to contribute to a reckless corporate competition that could ultimately lead to uncontrollable AI.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Failing the exam or refusing to take it is proof of the need for civil commitment.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of refusing
Verb
  • At first, all 15 countries have the same colored ballot slips for the straw polls, so no one knows who is supporting or rejecting a candidate.
    — Tim Backshall, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Sep. 2026
  • There is still time for Americans to create a new apogee before America 300 by rejecting the lies, insecurity, and ignorance endemic of the last quarter-century.
    — Michael E. Neagle, Hartford Courant, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of rejecting
Verb
  • Closing the curtains tightly before bed and turning down the thermostat also help.
    — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Tucker entered last offseason as the consensus top free agent after turning down a qualifying offer from the Chicago Cubs.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of turning down
Verb
  • Fertilizer is often bought months ahead of planting, so hesitating in the fall can mean less goes on the ground in the spring.
    — Jayash Paudel, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Cueto was known for hesitating while in his pitching motion, or wiggling on the mound.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of hesitating
Verb
  • Rural leaders will probably follow the urban practice of ensuring community input – as required by Congress – before allowing tax-delaying investments by wealthy financial backers.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In a 2022 One Earth study of more than 47,000 people across 68 countries, researcher Kelton Minor and colleagues found that warmer nighttime temperatures shorten sleep, mostly by delaying when people fall asleep.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of delaying
Verb
  • Parents, students, and educators raised concerns Wednesday night about Broward County Public Schools' proposal to close several schools as the district grapples with declining enrollment and significant funding shortfalls.
    — Abby Dodge, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Across the city and the country, declining attendance has idled many religious buildings, often leading to conversions.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of declining
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 (from)
abstaining
abstaining (from)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abstaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstaining. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of patina

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All