1
as in sacrifice
voluntary restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites
They moved off the grid to live a life of austerity.
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2
as in gruffness
the quality or state of being stern and serious in manner or appearance
His air of austerity tends to put others off.
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3
as in misery
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions
His family spent years living in austerity during the recession.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of austerity
Many of these have already been stretched by years of austerity following the global financial crisis, from which the U.K. emerged with a deficit-to-GDP ratio of 10%.
—
Ian King, CNBC, 11 June 2025
David Kaplan approached Etude 15 with austerity, shaping its surging waves of sound with earnest precision, and embraced the shifting patterns of Etude 16’s off-kilter 7/8 meter with poise and control.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 July 2025
But maybe Musk is onto something — maybe fiscal austerity could be enough.
—Joseph Thorndike, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
It’s drawn a line under the years when French government debt was considered a good, high-quality alternative to German debt, the region’s haven asset due to Berlin’s historic fiscal austerity.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for austerity
Ian King, CNBC, 11 June 2025
David Kaplan approached Etude 15 with austerity, shaping its surging waves of sound with earnest precision, and embraced the shifting patterns of Etude 16’s off-kilter 7/8 meter with poise and control.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 July 2025
But maybe Musk is onto something — maybe fiscal austerity could be enough.
—Joseph Thorndike, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
It’s drawn a line under the years when French government debt was considered a good, high-quality alternative to German debt, the region’s haven asset due to Berlin’s historic fiscal austerity.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for austerity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austerity
Noun
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See photos from the scene and a procession of officers honoring their life, service and sacrifice.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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War in Russian is all about sacrifice for the motherland, the individual dying and achieving glory for the greater good.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Nothing was achieved except more misery for the region at the hands of Hamas and its allies.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
11 Aug. 2025
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The question of whether there is hunger is different from the question of who is responsible for the misery.—
Seth Mandel,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
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As the entertainment industry’s publication of record, Variety seeks to highlight creatives who are making waves across a spectrum of disciplines.—
Variety Staff,
Variety,
8 Aug. 2025
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Los Angeles — While Hollywood actors may be the face of the film and television industry, teams of professionals work behind the scenes, bringing each cinematic story to life through disciplines like lighting, costumes and set design.—
Kathleen Toner,
CNN Money,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
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That kind of asceticism seemed neither fun nor sustainable.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
11 June 2025
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Role models for digital moderation, much less asceticism, are in short supply.—
Jack Butler,
National Review,
11 May 2025
Noun
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He is charged with deprivation of rights under color of law and falsifying records.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Aug. 2025
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Between 2019 and 2023, the U.S. saw an alarming, 110% increase in deaths due to hypoxia (or oxygen deprivation to the brain) stemming from nitrous oxide abuse, according to researchers.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Advertisement My biggest takeaway from this formula and its ubiquity is that users can develop healthier social media feeds, but doing so takes restraint and intentionality.—
Noah Giansiracusa,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
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While candidates largely avoided major mishaps, the tech was used with little guidance or restraint.—
Makena Kelly,
Wired News,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The speedy identification of cases can affect whether a person is eligible for post-exposure treatments, too, which can limit the severity of the disease and sometimes prevent illness altogether.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
Freep.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Upon arrival, the police department and assisting agencies, after determining the severity of the crash, closed Route 30 in both directions between Orchard Road and Horseman Trail for several hours, the release said.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The ear piercings and teen fashion accessories store based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, near Chicago, has continued to struggle since a 2018 bankruptcy filing, reports show.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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The bankruptcies come as the industry is down approximately 15 percent in volumes carried compared to 2022, according to Old Dominion chief financial officer Adam Satterfield.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Austerity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austerity. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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