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
All that austerity seems dated to today’s designers, who prefer generous curves to tight corners.
—
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 30 May 2025
Some think the austerity is due to economic volatility around the world, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs wreak havoc on markets (which also concerns the film business, where Trump has proposed a 100% levy on film tax incentives from foreign governments).
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 15 May 2025
Is the austerity of her work simply regurgitated cruelty?
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 May 2025
Was this an austerity measure (less fabric) (but also, more fabric, due to the lack of nudity)?
—Rachel Handler, Vulture, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for austerity
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 30 May 2025
Some think the austerity is due to economic volatility around the world, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs wreak havoc on markets (which also concerns the film business, where Trump has proposed a 100% levy on film tax incentives from foreign governments).
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 15 May 2025
Is the austerity of her work simply regurgitated cruelty?
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 May 2025
Was this an austerity measure (less fabric) (but also, more fabric, due to the lack of nudity)?
—Rachel Handler, Vulture, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for austerity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austerity
Noun
-
Further, there seems to be a strong internal culture that’s been built on hard work and sacrifice, which will be nurtured by having an experienced coach like Tocchet now overseeing the club.—
Kevin Kurz,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
-
In those instances, sacrifices will have to be made.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
Humidity is adding to the misery Oppressive humidity is accompanying the heat wave, according to Weather.com meteorologist Jonathan Erdman.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
25 June 2025
-
Cuomo, age 67 and one of the last powerful men to succumb to the #MeToo movement, is an unlikely standard-bearer for a Democratic Party desperate to move on from the miseries of the past decade, but New York politics isn’t famous for its uncomplicated options.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
This kind of discipline builds clarity, momentum and trust.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
-
The prompt-a-thon process reframes prompting as a high-impact diagnostic and design discipline—engineered for fast, actionable insight.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
23 June 2025
Noun
-
That kind of asceticism seemed neither fun nor sustainable.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
11 June 2025
-
Role models for digital moderation, much less asceticism, are in short supply.—
Jack Butler,
National Review,
11 May 2025
Noun
-
According to one 2019 study published in the journal Sleep, moms and dads can expect to experience some form of sleep deprivation for the first six years of their child's life.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
-
The animals’ skulls are later surgically opened, electrodes are implanted into their brains, and researchers show them visual stimuli (images of faces, for example) to examine how the sensory deprivation or other visual manipulations affected their neurodevelopment.—
Marina Bolotnikova,
Vox,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
Some voices, such as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, have urged restraint against rushing to defer to Israel’s efforts—putting leading leftists in an odd confluence with folks like Carlson and former Trump counselor Steve Bannon.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
17 June 2025
-
While members called for restraint and diplomacy, divisions remain.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
Coupled with the severity of his illness, Kotton suspected a widespread parasitic infection.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
20 June 2025
-
Armor can reduce the severity of the hit and also affect how big the damage is.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
The news broke in early June that At Home was considering filing for bankruptcy, and now, just two weeks later, the brand has officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2025
-
To do so is an admission of bankruptcy that feeds on itself to the bank’s detriment.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Austerity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austerity. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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