continence

1 abstention from sexual intercourse argued for a pregnancy-prevention program that did not put so much faith in the continence of teenagers Synonyms abstinence, chasteness, chastity, celibacyRelated Words modesty, purity; honor, innocence, virginity, virtueNear Antonyms debauchery, lechery, licentiousness, venery, wenching, whoring

2 the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others experiencing a moment of unusual continence, I refrained from returning her gratuitous insult Synonyms constraint, discipline, discretion, inhibition, refrainment, repression, reserve, restraint, self-command, self-control, self-restraint, suppressionRelated Words command, control, mastery, possession; self-censorship, self-containment, self-denial, self-discipline, self-government, self-mastery, will, willpower; composure, self-poise, self-possession; aloofness, detachedness, distance; bashfulness, modesty, shyness; reticence, silence, taciturnityNear Antonyms self-abandonment, uninhibitedness; unrestrainedness; gratification, indulgence, overindulgence, self-indulgence; bluntness, candor, frankness; immoderacy, intemperanceAntonyms disinhibition, incontinence, unconstraint

3 the power to control one's actions, impulses, or emotions a religious sect that demanded nearly superhuman continence from its adherents Synonyms will, restraint, self-command, self-containment, self-control, self-discipline, self-government, self-mastery, self-possession, self-restraint, willpowerRelated Words self-abnegation, self-denial, self-deprivation; moderateness, moderation, temperance, temperateness; determination, nerve; command, control, discipline, mastery; abnegation, abstention, avoidance, eschewal, forbearance; abstinence, soberness, sobriety; aplomb, assurance, composure, confidence, coolness, equanimity, poise, self-confidence; discretionNear Antonyms gratification, indulgence, self-indulgence; excessiveness, immoderacy, intemperance, intemperateness, overindulgence; demerit, failing, fault, feebleness, foible, frailty, shortcoming, vice, weakness; indiscipline, unconstraint, unreserve, unreservedness, unrestraint

4 voluntary restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites a gambling mecca that has a reputation for being the sort of place where caution and continence are thrown to the wind Synonyms abstinence, self-abnegation, self-denial, sobriety, temperanceRelated Words control, forbearance, restraint; discipline, self-command, self-control, self-discipline, self-mastery; asceticism, austerityNear Antonyms gluttony, greed, rapaciousness, rapacity, voraciousness, voracity; hedonism, sensuality, sybaritismAntonyms self-indulgence