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

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
John only found peace by giving up the ring, turning down the gig, and forging his own path.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 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

The Ukrainian leader had accused the Pentagon of delaying the delivery of the missiles that other countries have purchased for Ukraine.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026
Opaque foam boards covered the windows, blocking sightlines and delaying evacuation.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of delaying

Verb

China was once a key profit center for Volkswagen, but now the company faces declining demand for cars there on top of fierce price competition from local carmakers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026
Search growth is declining, and Google is placing all its eggs in the AI basket.

— Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of declining

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“Abstaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstaining. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of abstaining

verb

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