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as in purity
abstention from sexual intercourse argued for a pregnancy-prevention program that did not put so much faith in the continence of teenagers

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2
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4
as in temperance
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of continence This includes the five major types: stress incontinence, urge incontinence, mixed incontinence, overflow incontinence, and functional continence. Jamin Brahmbhatt, Verywell Health, 29 July 2024 Good posture helps maintain continence, support pelvic organs, and reduce back pain. Staci Tanouye, Parents, 29 Aug. 2023 Any chance Sally or Ed has anxiety, digestive or continence issues, hearing loss …? Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 29 Jan. 2023 To maintain continence, the puborectalis muscle chokes the anal canal. Cara Schacter, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2022 But even with the delayed start, most healthy, neurotypical kids achieve at least daytime continence by age three. Leah Campbell, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2021 Aging in the modern era is about slow unstoppable loss - of hearing, of memory, of mobility, of continence, of dignity. Kyle Munkittrick, Discover Magazine, 9 Sep. 2011
Recent Examples of Synonyms for continence
Noun
  • The experiment relies on detecting the faint interactions between hypothetical dark matter particles and atoms of liquid xenon, a noble gas chosen for its purity and stability.
    Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2025
  • And yet, Lightfoot’s stubborn purity is surely why listeners recognize his sincerity in memorializing such a tragic event.
    John U. Bacon, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Advertisement The Manning brothers' presence as executive producers ensured Chad Powers wasn't just a comedy about rebuilding but a football story rooted in preparation and discipline, down to the accuracy of Powell’s shotgun snaps.
    JP Mangalindan, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The discipline followed the coaches' backing of Reeve and their vocal criticisms of officials.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • On multiple occasions, Johnson has pointed the blame at those who flee police and credited officers with showing restraint in pursuits.
    David Clarey, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Those charges include four counts each of counterfeiting−delivery/possession of property and knowingly selling counterfeit, nonfunctional or noncompliant supplemental restraint systems.
    Christina Hall, Freep.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The temperance movement, which aimed to reduce alcohol use, gained steam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
    Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The movie clip reveals how much temperance, humanity, and transcendence Mary Jackson needs to navigate a system that has embedded injustices that few see or understand.
    Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This assertion that Mary was a child of a well-to-do family might have some historical validity since this text was composed at a time when the poverty and celibacy of the Holy Family had become associated with her nunlike virtue.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Sheen is one of a number of celebrities who have been open about going through periods of celibacy.
    Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Klima lived an incredible, principled life, having survived both the Nazi concentration camp at Terezin as a boy, and post-1968 Soviet repression in Czechoslovakia.
    Jonny Diamond, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Global organization Human Rights Watch accused the festival of diverting attention away from allegations of the government’s severe repression of free speech and criticized comedians for performing on the behest of an oppressive regime.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In a nutshell, chastity is the practice of orgasm denial, often through a device like a dedicated cage.
    Mikelle Street, Them., 1 Oct. 2025
  • The title that has become attached to the painting over time curiously characterizes the Virgin Mary by the fruit, perhaps in recognition of her chastity, especially when considered in the context of Persephone’s myth.
    Demir Alp, JSTOR Daily, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Maintaining the correct proportion of excitation to inhibition is critical for keeping the brain healthy and harmonious.
    Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 29 Sep. 2025
  • This also supports the idea that swearing can momentarily activate mental states that reduce inhibition and allow the body and mind to perform at a higher level.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Continence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/continence. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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