SELF-DENYING Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

self-denying

adjective

ˌself-di-ˈnī-iŋ

Definition of self-denying

as in ascetic

given to or marked by restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites found the self-denying life of the monks at the monastery unexpectedly appealing

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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 self-denying Like Congress passing campaign-finance regulation actually is like a pretty self-denying thing Congress has done. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026 The tension between the self-denying demands of being a Kennedy wife and Carolyn’s assured self-determination sets the framework for this love story. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026 The thriving wineries of modern-day Australia would no doubt astonish those Lutheran pioneers, not to mention the self-denying John Muir — although they surely would be fascinated by how botany has been modernized and commercialized. — Tony Perrottet, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2024 Director Olivier Py’s production, staged here by director Daniel Izzo, takes the blacks, grays and whites of the nun’s habit and turns them into a visual metaphor for self-denying modesty. — Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Oct. 2022

Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-denying

Adjective

But there is a certain ascetic simplicity to this labyrinthine heritage building that remains relatively unadorned.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
And there were posters tearing apart his otherworldly self-projection as a fakir, or ascetic, depicting him in his monogrammed suits, designer sunglasses, and aircraft.

— Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of ascetic

Adjective

Unsurprisingly, the wine lists are impeccable across the property, from Santé Restaurant to 38º North Wine Bar, which takes its name from the temperate latitude that cuts through some of the world’s finest wine regions.

— CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
The air was fresh and temperate, a welcome reprieve from the late fall chill that was settling into the East Coast.

— Trisha Thadani Kirsten Potter Tanya Pérez Devin Murphy, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of temperate

Browse Nearby Words

self-denials

self-denying

self-dependence

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“Self-denying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-denying. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of self-denying

adjective

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