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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-denying
Adjective
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Housed in a bulletproof case, the delicate bones reveal the saint’s ascetic life while strict security protects relics from historical theft.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
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Later in life Foucault will become more ascetic, but not yet.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 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
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The family live in the temperate coastal city of Newcastle, which is 1,200 miles south of Australia's crocodile habitat in the tropical north.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
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With warm temperatures in the summer that remain temperate through the winter, there’s never a bad time to visit Biloxi.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-denying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-denying. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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