abstaining

Definition of abstainingnext
present participle of abstain

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstaining
Verb
  • Germany, which was initially very reluctant to get involved in the conflict, refusing to provide Kyiv with weapons, eventually did so and is now one of the country’s biggest backers.
    Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Moderna announced the change Wednesday, about a week after revealing that the FDA's vaccine chief was refusing to review the new vaccine, made with Nobel Prize-winning mRNA technology.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Whether a client was pushed out after rejecting a supervisor’s advances, denied leave during pregnancy, or targeted for speaking up, the firm builds cases that reflect the full picture of workplace dynamics.
    Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Viganò, who is the Vatican’s former ambassador to the United States, was excommunicated in 2024 for refusing to recognize Pope Francis’ authority and rejecting the Second Vatican Council that modernized the Roman Catholic Church.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • When asked about the best techniques for defusing tense encounters while still maintaining the right to protect, civil rights advocates in Connecticut are generally recommending online training in turning down the heat on face-to-face encounters with ICE agents or counter-protestors.
    Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Torquing and turning down a mountain at 85 miles per hour without an ACL – its sole anatomical purpose is to connect the femur to the tibia and protect the bones from shifting – is, at best, not recommended and, at worst, slightly reckless.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Igor Jesus fluffed his lines when Omari Hutchinson sent him through on goal, hesitating too long and allowing Virgil van Dijk to snatch the ball.
    Paul Taylor, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
  • However, if large enterprises are hesitating to commit and implement, that’s a broader industry headwind impacting everyone, not just SAP.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Earlier this season, Garland had surgery on his left big toe and then sprained the right big toe, which continues to give him problems, delaying his Clippers’ debut.
    Janis Carr, Oc Register, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Some of those detainees could be charged in the weeks to come in Minneapolis, where a number of prosecutors have quit – delaying cases and slowing the court system.
    Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Trump has broken with custom by declining to invite all governors to the traditional White House meeting and dinner.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Today, magnet programs have become a general recruitment strategy in a school system with declining enrollment.
    Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Abstaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstaining. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.

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