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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of austere
Burton nailed her debut Givenchy show for fall 2025, an exhilarating display of new silhouettes, including dramatic hourglass coats and jackets, geometric baby-doll dresses and austere gowns.
—
Miles Socha, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
The 10 tracks come in at a relatively austere 39 minutes, and Van Halen says that compactness was both organic and intentional.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 24 Oct. 2025
Think of this home as the anthesis of the wave of millennial gray, where cold, austere tones took over an entire space.
—Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2025
Instead of the oil-baron excess of Dallas or the leather-and-chrome bravado of contemporary money dramas like Billions, Carter favors seductively austere minimalism and high-ticket abstract art.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for austere
Miles Socha, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
The 10 tracks come in at a relatively austere 39 minutes, and Van Halen says that compactness was both organic and intentional.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 24 Oct. 2025
Think of this home as the anthesis of the wave of millennial gray, where cold, austere tones took over an entire space.
—Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2025
Instead of the oil-baron excess of Dallas or the leather-and-chrome bravado of contemporary money dramas like Billions, Carter favors seductively austere minimalism and high-ticket abstract art.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for austere
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austere
Adjective
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Many residents favor stricter enforcement of immigration rules but have qualms about the current process.—
Tyler Kingkade,
NBC news,
31 Oct. 2025
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Ben Mead, managing director of Hohenstein Americas, the largest provider of testing for Oeko-Tex, says some limitations are so strict that even contamination on the machinery from previous runs can show up in testing.—
Sophie Benson,
Vogue,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But encounters with the island’s residents, including with his gruff but warm-hearted landlady (played by German screen legend Hanna Schygulla), gradually alter his outlook.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Oct. 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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Made the short walk back down the hill, sat in the spartan dorm room that was my home for the next nine months.—
Sarah Chamberlain,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
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With ski season only a few weeks away, the Vail Pass rest area reopened to the public on Tuesday with a bigger, better building that replaced a spartan structure built in 1980.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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According to the woman, her parents’ reasoning for denying her requests was rooted in a harsh lesson about independence.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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Instead of buying special cleaners or reaching for harsh chemicals to clean around your home, look to your medicine cabinet for a solution.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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With its sadistic violence, taboo sexuality, and grim depiction of postwar London, Peeping Tom was a flop that essentially ended the illustrious career of director Michael Powell, falling into obscurity until Martin Scorsese rescued it and rehabilitated its reputation with a 1979 rerelease.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
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In that sense, however, Farrell’s naturally grim demeanor fits right in.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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While House Republicans can pass legislation with a simple majority vote, Senate Republicans cannot advance most matters without meeting a 60-vote threshold.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Oct. 2025
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But in stoppage time, Miami was gifted a third goal when Jordi Alba crossed from the left and keeper Willis, colliding with defender Walker Zimmerman, spilled the ball right to Messi, who had the simplest of tap-ins.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Whether or not Takaichi's administration is as tough on immigration issues as her campaign rhetoric suggests, some observers warn that failing to actively invest in and integrate foreign nationals into society will have lasting harm on Asia’s second-largest economy.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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Without a consolidation of that vote in the final stretch, Mamdani appears tough to beat.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Its 42-foot Torpedo RS is built with a more dramatic hourglass profile, enhanced by stylish stern winglets that deliver sharper turns and a drier ride in swells.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
26 Oct. 2025
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China conducted military exercises in Serbia in July despite stern warnings from the European Union, and Belgrade provides Beijing with a security foothold in Europe.—
Chris Massaro,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Austere.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austere. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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