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
The first challenge is austerity.
—
Time, 26 Feb. 2026
Joonhee Park’s grayscale set design, complemented by Ben Carne’s fluorescent lighting, particularly suits Marlene’s harsh corporate world, but the chilly look also nods to Thatcherite austerity throughout the play.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
The expiring guidelines have required Arizona reduce its share by more than 500,000 acre-feet, and other agreements have led to still more austerity.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Antiques layered into a comfortable, practical palette help strike the balance between austerity and warmth.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for austerity
Time, 26 Feb. 2026
Joonhee Park’s grayscale set design, complemented by Ben Carne’s fluorescent lighting, particularly suits Marlene’s harsh corporate world, but the chilly look also nods to Thatcherite austerity throughout the play.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
The expiring guidelines have required Arizona reduce its share by more than 500,000 acre-feet, and other agreements have led to still more austerity.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Antiques layered into a comfortable, practical palette help strike the balance between austerity and warmth.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for austerity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austerity
Noun
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There’s elements of ‘The Oresteia’ that are very strongly in the Agnes-Marozia-Liuprand love triangle, down to the symbolic sacrifice of the daughter.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2026
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Texas has movement in the bullpen and West's sacrifice ground out puts a runner on the board.—
Zoe Collins Rath,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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
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The transition from agricultural employment to factory employment involved wrenching mass migration, the utter misery of the Great Depression (as well as other brutal recessions, now faded from collective memory), and the painful dealmaking of the New Deal.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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In contrast, his wife, Chandravati, is selfish as a daughter-in-law and disrespects Swasthani, leading to enormous misery for her.—
Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz,
The Conversation,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As with any discipline, there is something democratic about its effects.—
Caleb Crain,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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Wilkens grew up in the 1970s and early ’80s in Kellyville, a no-stoplight town, where her father’s moodiness and brute discipline dominated the household.—
Pamela Colloff,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Beyond their asceticism, the six members of the group - Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Manon Bannerman, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza, and Yoonchae Jeung - hail from different countries, including the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United States.—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
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Frayne writes that some second- and third-century sects, such as the Encratites, Priscilliantists, and Manicheans, advocated against meat eating, typically as part of a broader asceticism that might also include celibacy.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Such terrible deprivations the newcomers to our land must endure while guzzling nips, smoking weed and driving the wrong way on our interstate highways.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
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Laboratory studies have shown that sleep deprivation causes impairments in judgment, according to the expert.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The city isn’t well-positioned to raise the money to address this fact in a sensible way, given limits on its taxing authority and current budgetary restraints.—
Kevin Cole,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
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The prosecutor argued that Officer Noonan showed restraint that day, only shooting when Fitzsimmons performed the tap-rack and pointed the gun.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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However, the show downplays the severity of the incident and most crucially the fact that a child was present and injured in the melee.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
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The record high levels of greenhouse gases in the air are also why so many extreme events, from heat waves to floods, are now occurring with greater regularity and severity.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Austerity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austerity. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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