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asceticism

noun

Definition of asceticismnext
1
as in spirituality

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in monasticism

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of asceticism Frayne writes that some second- and third-century sects, such as the Encratites, Priscilliantists, and Manicheans, advocated against meat eating, typically as part of a broader asceticism that might also include celibacy. — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 4 Aug. 2025 Role models for digital moderation, much less asceticism, are in short supply. — Jack Butler, National Review, 11 May 2025 Upon his election, Bergoglio took the name Francis after Saint Francis of Assisi, who was known for his asceticism and ministry to the poor. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 23 Apr. 2025 The bout of asceticism didn’t deter her from finishing a quarter of the album, however. — Arimeta Diop, Vulture, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for asceticism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for asceticism
  1. spirituality
  2. monasticism
  3. religiousness
  4. holiness
  5. morality
  6. saintliness
  7. sanctity
  8. devotion
Noun
  • According to the Global Psychedelic Survey, religion and spirituality are among the top reasons that people in North America are using the drugs, with that intention showing up at a significantly higher rate than in other areas of the globe.
    — Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026
  • For decades, traditional sources of authority have competed with forms of spirituality based on personal experience, self-discovery and well-being.
    — Morgan Shipley, The Conversation, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of spirituality
Noun
  • Egyptian officials also unveiled the discovery of an ancient monastery dating back to the dawn of Christian monasticism.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Definition of monasticism
Noun
  • There's a sort of a natural world religiousness or spirituality or philosophy that swells around a lot of things and different characters.
    — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Key measures of religiousness have remained remarkably stable since 2020, according to recent Pew Research Center polling.
    — Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
Definition of religiousness
Noun
  • Soul is a synonym for God, or Spirit, and expresses the vast and eternal beauty of holiness, reflected in man and the universe.
    — Dilshad Khambatta Eames, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The saints’ books, rich vestments and formal poses were visible signs of holiness, symbolizing their learning, discipline and eloquence.
    — Denva Gallant, The Conversation, 8 July 2026
Definition of holiness
Noun
  • Four years ago this week, a 22-year-old woman named Mahsa Jina Amini died after being detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating the country’s compulsory hijab rules.
    — Pegah Banihashemi, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • In a climate which increasingly tells people in these farmers communities that those two values are not politically aligned, sustainable farmers of faith told me that Berry validated their own sense of morality.
    — Sydney Giacalone, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of morality
Noun
  • In the years following Wallace’s death, this aura of saintliness likely derived from the combination of his moral seriousness as a fiction writer—his attunement to the heroism of private suffering and emotional endurance—and the fact of his premature end.
    — Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Definition of saintliness
Noun
  • Students are supposed to do everything longhand to preserve the sanctity of learning, but they are also urged to meet the new professional demands created by AI.
    — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026
  • In her first solo show, artist Neveah Marquez, known as Perry Picasshoe, explores the concept of sanctity through vulnerable self-portraits and a confession booth that reveals guests’ secrets.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of sanctity
Noun
  • Indeed, in her devotion to sparkle, Pechman declines to probe too deeply into any of the industry’s more hurtful or exploitative dimensions.
    — Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
  • By 2017, Cyrus was covering her tattoos with makeup, wearing all white, and singing ballads of marital devotion.
    — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of devotion

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Cite this Entry

“Asceticism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asceticism. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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