abstaining

Definition of abstainingnext
present participle of abstain

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstaining
Verb
  • And refusing to keep any kind of part-time income trickling in only further complicates the situation.
    Wes Moss, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
  • Mayor Steven Streit presented the rise of data centers and the AI industry as inevitable, and said that the city had a chance to benefit by meeting the new industry on its terms and imposing restrictions rather than refusing it completely.
    Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Verb
  • After initially rejecting a sanctuary city designation and related proposals, the council later adopted a broader resolution aimed at protecting immigrant communities.
    Teresa Liu, Daily News, 29 May 2026
  • The act also is seen as a symbol of rejecting evil and a commemoration of the Prophet Ibrahim’s rejection of temptation when the devil tried to dissuade him from submitting to God’s will.
    ABC News, ABC News, 27 May 2026
Verb
  • The company has also been the subject of acquisition rumors in recent months, reportedly turning down interest from both Sazerac and Pernod Ricard.
    Emily Price, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
  • Carlos is on his way to the casino, turning down his mother’s offer of his favorite lunch and proceeding with such purpose that his head is barely turned by a parade of the gayest matelots since Pierre et Gilles’ 2005 book Sailors & Sea.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • The book does often feel like a recording of a mental jam session, but there is also a sense of being guided by a kind of hesitating yet urgent voice that needs to get things figured out.
    Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
  • While their rivals started spending significant sums of money as soon as the 2024-25 season finished, Spurs wasted a couple of weeks hesitating about the long-term future of then head coach Ange Postecoglou before replacing him with Thomas Frank.
    David Ornstein, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Verb
  • Hilton proposes to reform the California Environmental Quality Act so that only government prosecutors can sue, preventing private individuals and organizations from stopping or delaying new housing projects.
    Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
  • Nearly 40% of calls handled by Sacramento’s emergency medical services system were non-emergencies, tying up ambulances and paramedics, delaying urgent medical responses and adding nearly $5 million in costs to the city, according to a city audit.
    Reeti Malhotra May 29, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
Verb
  • Gasoline inventories continue to fall sharply, declining last week to the lowest May level since 2014.
    Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
  • Nor can conversation alone prepare students for a world shaped by AI, polarization and declining trust in institutions.
    Rajiv Vinnakota, Forbes.com, 28 May 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 4 Jun. 2026.

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