1
as in strict
given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint
an austere conductor who is as tough on himself as he is on the orchestra
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
an austere fortress at the top of some formidable cliffs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in spartan
providing only the essentials and nothing fancy or luxurious
for the private office of the CEO of the large corporation, the room is unexpectedly austere
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of austere
That character is Mike Tyler (Chris Evans), a Hollywood star recovering from a recent nervous breakdown and attending a garish eco-friendly charity party for the super-super-rich that’s being held in a fantastically austere Greek mine.
—
Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2025
The shooter was an austere religious scholar.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
Property tax rates are flat in the budget, which now includes far fewer cuts than the more austere spending plan Levine Cava first proposed in July.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
The flavor of French Syrahs is more austere and peppery than that of Australian Syrahs, which are more powerful and alcoholic.
—Elisabetta Tosi, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for austere
Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2025
The shooter was an austere religious scholar.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
Property tax rates are flat in the budget, which now includes far fewer cuts than the more austere spending plan Levine Cava first proposed in July.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
The flavor of French Syrahs is more austere and peppery than that of Australian Syrahs, which are more powerful and alcoholic.
—Elisabetta Tosi, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for austere
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austere
Adjective
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The therapy will debut at Relive Health’s Stuart, Florida location, thanks to recent updates in Florida’s regulatory framework allowing advanced stem cell treatments under strict medical oversight.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
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The weddings are planned by celebrity event stylist Slomique Hawrylo and adhere to a strict budget.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This pays off to some extent because Day-Lewis is such a mesmerizing presence, Ray’s gruff manner and terse communications hinting at dark mysteries to be revealed.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Sep. 2025
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Panday plays a convincingly gruff tortured artist alongside Padda’s struggling ingenue, and most of the screen time is devoted to their pairing instead of introducing tertiary excess.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Roku then picked up the rights for a spartan $10 million—about a third of what Peacock shelled out in each year of its contract.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
24 Sep. 2025
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The Long Walk uses the rawness of its spartan premise to venture deep into uncomfortable territory, culminating in an ending that blurs the lines between perseverance and defeat, hope and nihilism.—
James Grebey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The triumphant narrative began to fray when exceedingly harsh lockdown measures could no longer contain the spread of the virus, and the staggering human cost in the name of protecting lives defied all logic.—
Yangyang Cheng,
NPR,
4 Oct. 2025
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There are no easy fixes, so figuring out how to cushion the harsh impact will be the basis of negotiations with other parties in the Japanese legislature, the Diet.—
Jeff Kingston,
Time,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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At the core of the GOP’s shutdown argument is painting a grim picture of any non-citizen receiving any government benefit.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
2 Oct. 2025
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In her usual soft-spoken British accent, she was known for balancing the grim realities of the climate crisis with a sincere message of hope for the future.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Jared Jewelers Bulova Phantom Watch A watch is both practical and fashionable, and this style adds a touch of sparkle to simple outfits.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
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Each year, as the temperature rises, the town’s regular population of around 300 swells with thousands of kids soaking up the simple pleasures of the great outdoors.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Lammens was perhaps fortunate to escape sanction then (Stuart Atwell booked the forward for diving), but this was a valuable occasion ahead of tougher tests, beginning at Anfield.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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There will be some tough picking in there, but typically the predicting business gets a little easier in region play.—
Tyler Palmateer,
Nashville Tennessean,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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TelevisaUnivsion issued a stern statement of displeasure at the situation.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Oct. 2025
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In a series of rulings on motions brought by Combs after his conviction, Judge Subramanian has been stern.—
Jodi Guglielmi,
Rolling Stone,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Austere.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austere. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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