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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Recent Examples of self-denying
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
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
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The overall aesthetic was slightly ascetic without being spartan—a pale, neutral color palette; simple, modern furniture; a few pieces of abstract art.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The first follows the Rajput king Ratansen of Chitor (a fortress in what is now Chittorgarh, Rajasthan), who renounces his throne and travels as a yogi (wandering ascetic) to the island kingdom of Simhal to win the legendary Padmavati.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Lunchtimes are more abstemious with avocado and tuna packed poke bowls and watermelon salad at the W lounge.—
Jemima Sissons,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
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His first term now looks practically abstemious.—
Erin Neil,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The temperate weather in Southern Corsica allows the restaurant to be set completely outdoors.—
Rebekah Peppler,
Travel + Leisure,
9 May 2026
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In a temperate environment such as North Texas, where the growing season is long and the winters are mild, biological pressures are constant.—
Kody Boye,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-denying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-denying. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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