variants
also ascetical
as in monastic
formal
relating to or having a strict and simple way of living that avoids physical pleasure
He committed to having an ascetic existence during his rehab. an ascetic diet of rice and beans
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Dissimilar Words
as in prude
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ascetic
Mia Barzilay Freund, Vogue, 7 July 2025
But Pascal, for all the twinkle in his eye, often plays relatively sexless characters — from the fatherly energy of The Last of Us to the ascetic qualities of The Mandalorian.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 June 2025
Martin lived an ascetic and solitary life, and often denounced overly cerebral art.
—Melissa Febos, The Atlantic, 9 June 2025
And yet when people need a portal into or proxy for spiritual awakening, Alice Coltrane’s music often becomes integral, a newfound household name, because her staggered textures are gracious enough to accommodate both the ascetic and the philistine.
—Harmony Holiday, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascetic
Noun
Quarantine by Jim Crace This 1997 novel follows Jesus during his 40-day ascetic retreat to a desert cave.
—Mia Barzilay Freund, Vogue, 7 July 2025
But Pascal, for all the twinkle in his eye, often plays relatively sexless characters — from the fatherly energy of The Last of Us to the ascetic qualities of The Mandalorian.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 June 2025
Martin lived an ascetic and solitary life, and often denounced overly cerebral art.
—Melissa Febos, The Atlantic, 9 June 2025
And yet when people need a portal into or proxy for spiritual awakening, Alice Coltrane’s music often becomes integral, a newfound household name, because her staggered textures are gracious enough to accommodate both the ascetic and the philistine.
—Harmony Holiday, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ascetic
Adjective
-
The story of a woman’s retreat into monastic life is familiar; somewhat less familiar is Wood’s use of the modular form.—
Nathaniel Moore
September 10,
Literary Hub,
10 Sep. 2025
-
By the 5th century, Armenia had adopted Christianity as its state religion, and monastic winemaking became a cornerstone of its culture and economy.—
Layne Randolph,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Tate Mcrae embraces the sheer trend The VMAs red carpet is no place for prudes.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
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Give the Original ‘Twister’ a Spin Barbara Peeters is no prude.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
19 July 2024
Adjective
-
Now, the same institutions once intimidated by authoritarian power have declared that a former commander-in-chief conspired to revoke the 2022 election, assassinate rivals, and eventually unleash street chaos to hold on to power.—
Julia Vargas Jones,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Ray's father was a dissenter who was executed by the Major himself for his outspoken anti-authoritarian views, and Ray wants revenge.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
There’s often some kind of hitch, but still, most agents are straight arrows who play by the book.—
LEW SICHELMAN,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2025
-
Purdy was such a straight arrow as a kid, his worst transgressions were playing doorbell ditch, Patchett said.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
The Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2024
Adjective
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The watch is offered in exceptional condition, preserved in line with the most exacting standards of connoisseurship, the auction house said.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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Eight games of Champions League football will also be a more exacting midweek test than last season’s six Conference League mismatches.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
That helplessness amid an unrelenting, unforgiving illness.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
No doubt, success for such performers can mean isolation, extreme pressure from all sides, and an unrelenting spotlight.—
Lauren Morrow
September 9,
Literary Hub,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
However, her mother is adamant about keeping the canine off the antique chair.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
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Sandlin was adamant that his engineering team has done everything possible to ensure no adverse impact to neighboring properties.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The festival would know that better than most, juxtaposing classical music—and its expectation of monkish silence—with the heart of Chicago’s downtown, and the human mix therein.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
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Obama has retreated into monkish silence, broken only for special occasions such as celebrity deaths and the recording of Bruce Springsteen podcasts.—
Isaac Chotiner,
The New Yorker,
17 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Ascetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ascetic. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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