Synonyms of austerity

austerity

noun

1

as in sacrifice

voluntary restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites

They moved off the grid to live a life of austerity.

Related Words

• sacrifice
• discipline
• restraint
• frugality
• asceticism
• self-denial
• mortification
• avoidance
• temperance
• self-mastery
• reasonableness
• control
• constraint
• reasonability
• self-discipline
• self-command
• temperateness
• self-containment
• self-control
• abnegation
• abstention
• rationality
• sensibleness
• eschewal
• forbearance
• sensibility
• soberness
• abstinence
• sobriety
• teetotalism
• moderation
• middle-of-the-roadism
• rationalness
• moderateness

Dissimilar Words

• excess
• extremity
• superfluity
• extremeness
• extremism
• unrestraint
• irrationality
• unreasonableness
• radicalness
• unconstraint
• excessiveness
• intemperance
• immoderation
• insobriety
• immoderateness
• immoderacy
• intemperateness

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.

Related Words

• gruffness
• asceticism
• severity
• monasticism
• determination
• obduracy
• steadfastness
• dourness
• austereness
• implacability
• callousness
• resolve
• pitilessness
• rigidity
• obstinacy
• stubbornness
• sternness
• firmness
• hard-heartedness
• strictness
• inflexibility
• obdurateness
• stringency
• harshness
• rigidness
• hardness
• rigor
• rigorousness
• exactingness

Dissimilar Words

• tolerance
• patience
• indulgence
• tenderness
• softness
• forbearance
• kindness
• flexibility
• gentleness
• lenience
• laxness
• mildness

3

as in misery

the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions

His family spent years living in austerity during the recession.

Related Words

• misery
• deprivation
• bankruptcy
• poverty
• privation
• belt-tightening
• emergency
• pinching
• wretchedness
• woe
• exigency
• straitening
• insolvency
• gutter
• impoverishment
• rainy day
• destitution
• penury
• necessity
• pauperism
• beggary
• indigence
• neediness
• impecuniosity
• poorness
• need
• impecuniousness
• penuriousness
• destituteness
• want

Dissimilar Words

• prosperity
• luxury
• wealth
• opulence
• affluence
• richness
• wealthiness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of austerity

Respondents expressed that while hiring and promotion freezes, budget cuts and layoffs were reduced compared to 2024, economic austerity remains at organizations, adding pressure to existing teams and reducing security resilience. — Ipsita Mohanty, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

The departure of Adorni — who, as Milei’s spokesperson, emerged in 2023 as the face of his strict austerity program and anti-corruption drive — costs the president one of his most trusted and longtime aides. — Clara Preve, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026

On Saturday, following the progress on the peace deal, the austerity measures had been lifted, according to local media reports. — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 25 June 2026

Taxation levels are approaching those seen during the Second World War, while beloved and vital state institutions such as the National Health Service are struggling after years of austerity cuts and budget squeezes. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 25 June 2026