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
Most of the jails are austere, even by the grim standards of detention centers.
—
Jack Herrera, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2025
Lloyd’s worlds are shiny brutalist black boxes, at once austere and conspicuously expensive, and Van Hove’s are if anything even more severe.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2025
Originally attributed to Pieter Pourbus, a Flemish Renaissance artist who worked in Bruges during the 16th century, the painting depicts an austere man and his young daughter in matching ruffs.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
The film makes more than a token effort to explore the material and psychological realities of life under fascist rule, and the transformation of a charming agrarian utopia into an austere military dictatorship.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for austere
Jack Herrera, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2025
Lloyd’s worlds are shiny brutalist black boxes, at once austere and conspicuously expensive, and Van Hove’s are if anything even more severe.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2025
Originally attributed to Pieter Pourbus, a Flemish Renaissance artist who worked in Bruges during the 16th century, the painting depicts an austere man and his young daughter in matching ruffs.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
The film makes more than a token effort to explore the material and psychological realities of life under fascist rule, and the transformation of a charming agrarian utopia into an austere military dictatorship.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for austere
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austere
Adjective
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So Read, a 56-year-old sexologist and writer based in Calgary, Canada, developed a strict sleep and bedtime routine.—
Erica Sweeney,
SELF,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Augusta National Golf Club, where the tournament takes place each April, has a strict no cell phone and cameras rule during the four days of official competition.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The actor behind the gruff but lovable Roy Kent shared a purrfectly eccentric analogy about the show's return on a recent episode of NPR's Wild Card podcast.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Bowling paints with the rhythm of a gruff intellectual.—
James Russell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Hope reigns even in this harsh political climate we Americans are now experiencing.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2025
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Even if investors are slightly more confident this week, after Trump backed off most of his harshest tariff rates, the changes in people’s life-style habits serve as their own kind of affective barometer.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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His grim work handling dead sheep gives the movie its title, but little time is actually spent at Stan’s job.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2025
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One such fragment of the original George III statue, found in a swamp in Connecticut, will be part of the Museum of the City of New York’s 250th-anniversary exhibition, spotlighting the grim period between that celebratory moment and the departure of British forces in 1783.—
John Hanc,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Asked who’d buy these gold cards during an Oval Office meeting with reporters in February, Trump had a simple answer.—
Meehika Barua,
HubSpot,
18 Apr. 2025
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Its second life on streaming has guided new viewers to the simple charms of one of the best mystery shows of all time.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Four times, he’s used it to strikeout hitters, with the horizontal break being tough to pick up.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2025
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However, the emotional side of living with the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be just as tough.—
Caitlin Carlson,
SELF,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Raid 2, for instance, a two and a half hour crime and punishment epic, boils down to one man’s struggle to win the approval of his stern father; whether this is significant to Evans’ life or not, the motif nonetheless transitions cleanly into Havoc.—
Andy Crump,
Time,
26 Apr. 2025
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The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has issued a stern warning about a predatory fish that can grow up to 3 feet long, slither across land and breathe air.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Oilers have a lot to improve on after the Game 2 blowout, including their special teams after giving up five power-play goals over the first two games — a stark contrast to last year’s Stanley Cup Final run.—
Sarah Jean Maher,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
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Rheinmetall has soared 150% thanks largely to the German parliament’s commitment in March to create a fund to spend more than $500 million on defense and infrastructure over 12 years, a stark departure from the nation’s longstanding frugal spending policies.—
Hank Tucker,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Austere.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austere. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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