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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 austere
But some astronomers, faced with increasingly austere government funding for their ground- and space-based projects, are beginning to see the moon as a more fiscally-stable scientific stage for some of their most ambitious cosmic studies.
—
Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
Crockett is too gregarious to replicate Willie’s austere desert balladry, though.
—Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 6 Apr. 2026
King Charles famously loathed his time at the boarding school, but Peter seems to have thrived in the austere Scottish landscape, becoming head boy of the institution before graduating.
—Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 2 Apr. 2026
However, austere measures implemented to comply with the program translated into big sacrifices for the Surinamese people, including the phasing out of fuel, water and electricity subsidies.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for austere
Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
Crockett is too gregarious to replicate Willie’s austere desert balladry, though.
—Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 6 Apr. 2026
King Charles famously loathed his time at the boarding school, but Peter seems to have thrived in the austere Scottish landscape, becoming head boy of the institution before graduating.
—Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 2 Apr. 2026
However, austere measures implemented to comply with the program translated into big sacrifices for the Surinamese people, including the phasing out of fuel, water and electricity subsidies.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for austere
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austere
Adjective
-
The government, which is mediating the negotiations, has already imposed a strict security bubble ready for the arrival of Vice President JD Vance and the Iranian delegation.—
Will Clark,
NBC news,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Donation is only considered after every life-saving effort has been exhausted and death has been declared according to strict medical and ethical standards.—
Dr. Hiroshi Sogawa,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Leslie and her gruff-but-caring, staunch Libertarian boss Ron Swanson (the incomparable Nick Offerman) became symbols of bygone bipartisanship, not to mention endless memes.—
Jennifer Armstrong,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
-
And Zendaya, as to be expected, really, is fantastic, slipping effortlessly under the skin of the gruff addict in recovery, trying to claw her way out of an increasingly deep hole.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The overall aesthetic was slightly ascetic without being spartan—a pale, neutral color palette; simple, modern furniture; a few pieces of abstract art.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Plot details are under wraps but according to the spartan official synopsis, the psychological thriller unfolds in a seemingly idyllic and takes audiences on a vertiginous dive into the shifting limits of a sound mind, as grief and obsession take hold.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The idea is to use places, such as Antarctica and space, as real-world testbeds where technologies can be proven under genuinely harsh conditions, like extreme cold, isolation, limited logistics, and high system reliability requirements.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
-
And scientists that have been working on the data have been able to pinpoint that maybe that was the cause of a very harsh winter over Europe that happened in 2010.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The seafarer who spoke to ABC News described a grim scene currently of ships drifting with little direction, and listening on the ship-to-ship communication systems called the VHF line -- accounts of crews growing desperate for basic provisions, and some begging to go home.—
Desiree Adib,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, a grim war of attrition continues along the roughly 800-mile front line that snakes along eastern and southern areas of Ukraine.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The overall aesthetic was slightly ascetic without being spartan—a pale, neutral color palette; simple, modern furniture; a few pieces of abstract art.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
-
This translates to the Gap cardigan sweater and the Levi’s shorts paired with the flats for a simple, slightly elevated look that feels comfortable.—
Isis Briones,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That's a tough ask given that this isn't the first time the network's credibility has come into question.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Another tough one, all having to do with writer friends and boundaries (or the lack thereof).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Now, the historic oil crisis triggered by the United States and Israel’s war on Iran is posing the sternest test to date of China’s Promethean effort toward energy self-sufficiency.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The cast is a murderers row of British actors, and the twisting plot of the novel is full of introspection and doubt, which makes for a tight 127 minutes of shocking revelations told through stern and troubled looks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Austere.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austere. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
