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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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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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
Serious Austen devotees might point out that no movie or TV series can capture the austere intelligence of Austen’s prose, in which the words are laid out as neatly as brickwork in a garden path and given a light glaze of ironic observation.
—
Tom Gliatto, People.com, 19 July 2025
In a sport infamous for austere vibes and boring and bland quotes, that’s akin to insulting a rival’s outfit, spouse, and taste in music all at the same time.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 16 July 2025
Its amusing cosmetic/munitions mash-up purposefully offset the more austere and traditional feel of Beinecke Plaza.
Oldenburg, who died in 2022 at the age of 92, became known for his giant-sized representations of everyday objects such as a hamburger, a trowel and an electrical plug.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2025
The Institute’s facilities are austere and a little stale, reflecting an underfunded government program and an underfunded television show in which the coolest visual element relates to the glowing red ear tag stapled to the kids upon their arrival.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for austere
Tom Gliatto, People.com, 19 July 2025
In a sport infamous for austere vibes and boring and bland quotes, that’s akin to insulting a rival’s outfit, spouse, and taste in music all at the same time.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 16 July 2025
Its amusing cosmetic/munitions mash-up purposefully offset the more austere and traditional feel of Beinecke Plaza.
Oldenburg, who died in 2022 at the age of 92, became known for his giant-sized representations of everyday objects such as a hamburger, a trowel and an electrical plug.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2025
The Institute’s facilities are austere and a little stale, reflecting an underfunded government program and an underfunded television show in which the coolest visual element relates to the glowing red ear tag stapled to the kids upon their arrival.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for austere
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austere
Adjective
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Although House rules allow members of Congress to provide gifts to other members, there is strict guidance on the appearance of impropriety and required disclosures.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
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In addition to broadening Opinel's appeal in jurisdictions with strict regulations on locking knives, the Opiflex mechanism is designed to streamline blade opening and closing for fast, intuitive knife use.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The central quartet of friends have a supportive connection underneath all their hormones and egos — Elba proves a standout as the gruff but warm defacto leader — that makes their bloody and sexed-up misadventures oddly wholesome.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
13 Aug. 2025
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Dougal MacKenzie loves a good prank — and so do the actors who play the gruff Highland Scot.—
Maureen Lee Lenker Published,
EW.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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The report didn’t elaborate on that treatment but studies and surveys have previously highlighted the military’s notoriously harsh conditions.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
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While the comparison of slave babies being taken from their mommas, and immigrant children being separated from their parents might seem a bit harsh to some, the pain is the same.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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With all due respect to the pressures of making an unconventional sci-fi film on a tight budget, using ecologically destructive technology for a story of ecological devastation, in which clean water is an increasingly rare resource, adds an unintentionally grim layer of irony to the tale.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
11 Aug. 2025
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Marathon’s rollout has been somewhat grim, with initial flashy trailers years earlier giving way to underperforming gameplay previews and a very unfinished, public Alpha that created intensely negative vibes around the project.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But it was intended to be a simple, three-course meal, the documents showed.—
Chiara Eisner,
NPR,
16 Aug. 2025
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In North Carolina, Republicans are a few votes shy of a supermajority in one chamber but still control the redistricting process because the state’s congressional maps are not subject to veto and therefore can be passed by a simple majority in the legislature.—
Elena Shao,
New York Times,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Even if increasing competition and financial obstruction have influenced summer recruitment, making this season’s challenges tougher, the confidence in Unai Emery and Villa’s football department remains unerring.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
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Sanctions have roiled Russia's economy and Trump could use tougher measures as leverage over Putin, said Richard Portes, professor of economics at London Business School.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Amid the Yankees' slump, Boone's leadership, managing style and willingness to be stern with players have all been questioned.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Aug. 2025
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The witness said Berrios was stern about handling the situation with Torres by herself.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This stands in stark contrast to the global market rout that followed Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement, when investors rushed out of U.S. equities and bonds, sending gold to hover near all-time highs while the dollar slipped.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
8 Aug. 2025
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Linda Lee’s domestic portrait of her husband is in stark contrast with the image presented by Betty Ting Pei, the Hong Kong actress in whose bedroom Lee was found dead.—
H.M.A. Leow,
JSTOR Daily,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Austere.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austere. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
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