as in ascetic
given to or marked by restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites
abstentious by nature, she eats only to satisfy actual hunger—never just for the sake of eating
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstentious
Adjective
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Despite his limitations, Joe displayed an impressive degree of ascetic discipline and a ravenous desire for God.—
Christian Wiman,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025 -
The fantastical park resembles a theatre set, rife with spiritual allegory and modeled on an ascetic’s dream of utopia.—
Laura May Todd,
Vogue,
21 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Some have evolved exceedingly specific diets—diets that would put even the most abstemious human to shame.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
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The solution offered up by some: the sort of abstemious, low-fat, often vegetarian, diets that had been prescribed as lust-control regimens only decades earlier.—
Rachel Hope Cleves / Made by History,
TIME,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Goodee has one of the best stocks of artisan-made, one-of-a-kind homewares that don’t require a cross-continent trip to collect.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
30 Nov. 2025
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In addition to routes that go into the suburbs around the city, the cross-continent metro line known as the Marmaray connects the metro systems on both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul.—
Katie Nadworny,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Some people want to remain abstinent to focus on their own personal growth, while others have resorted to it after becoming frustrated with today's dating culture.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Nov. 2025
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Ivan Neville has been on a few times and always talks being abstinent.—
Shirley Halperin,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The good thing is, most plants native to temperate parts of the globe evolved ways to deal with the annual seasonal cycle.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Jan. 2026
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Heating the indoor air in winter means the air will retain more moisture (it won't be dispersed to help humidify plants or your sinuses), but lowering the thermostat to a temperate 68 degrees F can help increase relative humidity in your home, and this can help your houseplants stay vibrant.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
5 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Abstentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstentious. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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