Meaning & use
abstinence
Last updated
The practice of deliberately not doing or having something, especially food, alcohol, or other pleasures.
See it in a sentence
He practiced abstinence from alcohol during the entire month.
The doctor recommended abstinence from strenuous exercise until the injury healed.
A note on using this word
Often used specifically in discussions of diet, alcohol, or health-related self-restraint; 'abstinence' is the noun form of the verb 'abstain.'
Words with a similar meaning
restraintself-denial
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Words with an opposite meaning
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