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
But this formulation is hardly the final word—if Milei’s party fares poorly in the election, its austerity program will face more resistance.
—
John Cassidy, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Milei’s austerity measures and cuts have won him praise from investors abroad but drawn fierce resistance from wide swaths of Argentinian society.
—Rob Wile, NBC news, 20 Oct. 2025
Both Michel Barnier and François Bayrou presented austerity budgets and were swiftly ousted in confidence votes.
—Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
That government had secured NATO membership for Hungary, made progress toward joining the European Union and eased the pain caused by harsh austerity measures imposed under its predecessors.
—New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for austerity
John Cassidy, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Milei’s austerity measures and cuts have won him praise from investors abroad but drawn fierce resistance from wide swaths of Argentinian society.
—Rob Wile, NBC news, 20 Oct. 2025
Both Michel Barnier and François Bayrou presented austerity budgets and were swiftly ousted in confidence votes.
—Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
That government had secured NATO membership for Hungary, made progress toward joining the European Union and eased the pain caused by harsh austerity measures imposed under its predecessors.
—New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for austerity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austerity
Noun
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But what's really cool is how the movie brings those story lines together in a narrative filled with intriguing twists, gnarly kills, heroic sacrifices and a slew of nifty new Predator designs.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
9 Nov. 2025
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Swapping the pie crust for these biscuits is a small sacrifice—if it could even be called that.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
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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Mamdani, 34, is a charismatic socialist who has limited experience in the private sector and seems utterly unconcerned about his guiding philosophy’s long track record of creating misery.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Beyond the outright annihilation of people and the considerable trauma that brought onto people, leftist regimes inflicted considerable misery in myriad other ways.—
Sal Rodriguez,
Oc Register,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Dames’ intention is to turn the headquarters into a creative hub and point of convergence of different disciplines, driven by collaborations.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
11 Nov. 2025
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Changing the Kremlin’s understanding of its prospects will require sustained pressure and discipline.—
Jack Watling,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Nov. 2025
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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Carskadon says all of this contributes to pervasive sleep deprivation.—
NPR,
NPR,
2 Nov. 2025
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Facility one-upsmanship, all in the name of attracting better recruits, led to practice facilities with mini-golf courses (Clemson), marble showers in the locker room (Oregon) and sensory deprivation tanks (Georgia).—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The civil suit alleged the restraint lasted eight minutes.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
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Per state guidelines and Ohio Administrative Code, physical restraint must be used as a last resort and only when there is an immediate risk of physical harm to the student or others.—
Grace Tucker,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Kp is an index used to indicate the severity of the global magnetic disturbances in near-Earth space, NOAA said.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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Brain scans revealed the severity of the bleeds and whether patients showed signs of cerebral small vessel disease, a condition that damages tiny blood vessels in the brain and is linked to aging, high blood pressure and dementia.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Austerity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austerity. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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