as in ascetic
given to or marked by restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites
grew up in a family where abstinent behavior was expected and self-indulgence of any kind was scorned and castigated
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Recent Examples of abstinent
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
Ivan Neville has been on a few times and always talks being abstinent.
—Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
As a purist, Murray defines sobriety as being completely abstinent from habit-forming substances that could cause dependency, including prescription drugs like Xanax and Suboxone.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 23 Sep. 2025
Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Ivan Neville has been on a few times and always talks being abstinent.
—Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
As a purist, Murray defines sobriety as being completely abstinent from habit-forming substances that could cause dependency, including prescription drugs like Xanax and Suboxone.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstinent
Adjective
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The bulk of the album has been painted with a similarly ascetic palette.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
6 Jan. 2026
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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
Adjective
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Lunchtimes are more abstemious with avocado and tuna packed poke bowls and watermelon salad at the W lounge.—
Jemima Sissons,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
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His first term now looks practically abstemious.—
Erin Neil,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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After working up an appetite in the more temperate months, meals can be taken at the outdoor dining pavilion alongside the home.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
26 Jan. 2026
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While potholes are most often associated with northern climates, those living in more-temperate regions can encounter them as well.—
Jim Gorzelany,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Now, Love is older, clean and sober, more forgiving, more willing to make stability a priority.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Jan. 2026
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Others, including Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei have presented a more sober picture of large scale job loss.—
Michael Bernick,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Abstinent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstinent. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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