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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

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective austere contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of austere are ascetic, severe, and stern. While all these words mean "given to or marked by strict discipline and firm restraint," austere stresses absence of warmth, color, or feeling and may apply to rigorous restraint, simplicity, or self-denial.

living an austere life in the country

When is ascetic a more appropriate choice than austere?

Although the words ascetic and austere have much in common, ascetic implies abstention from pleasure and comfort or self-indulgence as spiritual discipline.

the ascetic life of the monks

When is it sensible to use severe instead of austere?

In some situations, the words severe and austere are roughly equivalent. However, severe implies standards enforced without indulgence or laxity and may suggest harshness.

severe military discipline

When could stern be used to replace austere?

The meanings of stern and austere largely overlap; however, stern stresses inflexibility and inexorability of temper or character.

stern arbiters of public morality

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 The team lives in tents and works in austere conditions. Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2025 This deployment aimed to test the squadron's ability to rapidly deploy jets from an austere location and to practice power projection from multiple locations. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025 The White House unveiled President Donald Trump's official portrait this week, replacing an austere photograph that was released for the president's inauguration earlier this year. Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 4 June 2025 Elizabeth Stanley Design Curated vintage furnishings and lighting by Elizabeth Stanley Design softens the concrete architectural rigor of this austere Austin home. Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for austere
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austere
Adjective
  • Growing up in a strict Mennonite community in rural Ohio truly shaped my ethics and values.
    Vogue, Vogue, 11 July 2025
  • That’s not the strict definition of doxxing because the post did not give Butker’s address.
    Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • With a deep, gruff voice and animus toward humanity, McCarthy was an unusual dance-music star when Nitzer Ebb started notching chart hits.
    Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2025
  • Two months ago, the world lost a gruff and burly guitar player named Al Barile.
    Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 11 June 2025
Adjective
  • The mask fully blocks out the harsh cabin lighting and that inevitable sunrise glow before landing.
    Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 10 July 2025
  • Before Getting Started When cleaning your oven, try to avoid using harsh oven cleaners or using the self-cleaning feature.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 10 July 2025
Adjective
  • Robert Shapiro, the first member and initial chair of OJ Simpson's defense team, gave a grim prediction regarding Diddy's potential sentence.
    Lauryn Overhultz , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 8 July 2025
  • In 2024, that number hit a heartbreaking 105 — a grim record for child drownings in the state, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF).
    Karen Cohn, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 July 2025
Adjective
  • Chris wore a simple navy blue polo shirt and khaki shorts combo, while Alexa showed off her growing bump in a white and blue floral dress — along with an Olympic logo necklace to complete her maternity style.
    Kayla Grant, People.com, 11 July 2025
  • Nearby is the kitchen, which is compact and simple as standard.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • The tough part is deciding between a leather sofa or a plush number made with performance fabric.
    Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 9 July 2025
  • But after rookie third baseman Ronny Mauricio made an exceptionally tough double play to end a two-on, one-out threat in the bottom of the eighth, there was no way the Mets were losing.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 9 July 2025
Adjective
  • As the bow and stern sections tore free from one another, the ship’s contents were ejected and rained down across the ocean floor, dispersing everything from luggage and dinnerware to engine parts and personal belongings.
    Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 6 July 2025
  • The affable Carroll was the polar opposite of the stern hard-driving Parcells.
    Tribune Content Agency, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2025
Adjective
  • On a clear, low-humidity day, the solitary volcanic cone looms in the west, emerging as a stark evening silhouette when the sun dips behind its bulk.
    Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2025
  • What To Know Satellite imagery captured by Landsat 7, a joint mission of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA, show a stark contrast in Lake Mead's water levels between July 1999 and May 2024, with the reservoir appearing noticeably smaller in the latter image.
    Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Austere.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austere. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

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