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
Kenney’s petition, which has nearly 4,000 signatures, urged the CSU not to spend money renewing the contract with OpenAI when several campuses like San Francisco State and Sonoma State had recently enacted austerity measures.
—
Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
The state should not respond with austerity that drives more educators out.
—Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
Paz’s termination of a popular but fiscally unsustainable fuel subsidy and other austerity measures triggered strikes earlier this month, which escalated into a coordinated effort from the Bolivian Workers’ Central, peasant unions, and miners to paralyze the country.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 20 May 2026
The government succeeded in reversing the fiscal deficit and achieving a budget surplus — a rare result in Argentina’s recent history — but the social cost of the austerity measures has drawn criticism.
—Clara Preve, Fortune, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for austerity
Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
The state should not respond with austerity that drives more educators out.
—Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
Paz’s termination of a popular but fiscally unsustainable fuel subsidy and other austerity measures triggered strikes earlier this month, which escalated into a coordinated effort from the Bolivian Workers’ Central, peasant unions, and miners to paralyze the country.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 20 May 2026
The government succeeded in reversing the fiscal deficit and achieving a budget surplus — a rare result in Argentina’s recent history — but the social cost of the austerity measures has drawn criticism.
—Clara Preve, Fortune, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for austerity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austerity
Noun
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Organizers said the event also served as a chance to honor the ancestors and generations whose sacrifices made today's freedoms possible.—
Kennedy Cook,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
-
Juneteenth reminds us that freedom in America has often arrived late, unevenly and only after pressure, sacrifice and enforcement.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
But then Popper smiled and the arrival of opening day momentarily mellowed his gruffness.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Mackay and Turner are both excellent, two movie stars who seem totally game to be asked to move with real gruffness.—
Sam Bodrojan,
IndieWire,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
So the roughly 2 million Palestinians in Gaza are now living in greater misery than ever.—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
-
Knicks fans know all about the misery part.—
Sean Woods,
Rolling Stone,
15 June 2026
Noun
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Technical excellence is paramount, but so is the ability to take risks, learn from your mistakes and work at the edge and intersections of disciplines to transform ideas into knowledge and action.—
Rachel Nuwer,
Scientific American,
16 June 2026
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Marie says each piece of work carries a story about childhood, discipline, survival and the complicated ways love can be expressed.—
Nia Dumas,
NPR,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Just books and plays, and an asceticism associated with the priests Jim would often play.—
Carl Kurlander,
Deadline,
13 June 2026
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Following several years of contemplation and asceticism, Dorje hopes to return to the United States to teach in Minnesota's Buddhist community at the Nyingmapa Taksham Buddhist Center.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The Nazis wanted their victims to see only fear, deprivation and survival.—
Norman B. Gildin,
Sun Sentinel,
9 June 2026
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If hair loss is related to sleep deprivation, nutritional deficiency, or stress, those issues will need to be addressed.—
Jillian Pretzel,
Parents,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
In the case of these earrings, restraint was paramount.—
Jill Newman,
Robb Report,
18 June 2026
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For disabled students already navigating discrimination, bullying, and in some cases dangerous seclusion and restraint practices with fewer advocacy resources than ever, the question of who will investigate and enforce their rights just got a lot murkier.—
Keely Cat-Wells,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Noun
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Jamie Lynn Spears is opening up about the severity of her daughter's 2017 near-fatal ATV accident.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
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At the time, the severity of the ruling reflected the enormous scale of Lan’s fraud as well as efforts by authorities to restore investor trust.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Austerity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austerity. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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