abstinence

American  

[ab-stuh-nuhns] / ˈæb stə nəns /

Also abstinency

noun

1. forbearance, especially habitual forbearance as a lifestyle choice, from any indulgence of a particular appetite, such as from sex or from the use of alcoholic beverages.

   The program promotes sexual abstinence for teens, but also provides information on contraception in case they become sexually active.

   Synonyms:

   teetotalism, sobriety, abstemiousness

2. any self-restraint, self-denial, or forbearance.

3. the act of abstaining for any length of time from a substance or activity to which one has become addicted, but without actually dealing with the root causes of dependency.

   Abstinence addresses the symptoms of addiction, while sobriety has deeper mental and emotional dimensions.

4. the act of abstaining from a particular substance or activity as a spiritual discipline, as during Lent or some other period of religious fasting or self-denial.

   At one time Lenten abstinence from meat was stricter than it is today.

5. Economics. the conserving of current income in order to build up capital or savings.

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abstinence British  

/ ˈæbstɪnəns /

noun

1. the act or practice of refraining from some action or from the use of something, esp alcohol

2. RC Church the practice of refraining from specific kinds of food or drink, esp from meat, as an act of penance

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• proabstinence
  adjective
• abstinent
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of abstinence

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English word from Latin word abstinentia. See abstain, -ence

Explanation

If you are a chocolate lover, you'll have to show great restraint when the dessert cart rolls over if you are practicing abstinence, another word for "refraining." It might take a lot of willpower not to throw yourself at the cart. Abstinence is the opposite of indulgence. People who practice abstinence deny themselves something, often something they really want. Regardless of whether people are abstaining from food, alcohol, or sex, they have to practice self-control. In fact, the word is derived from the Latin term for "to hold back." The word abstinence is often used in reference to sex education courses that teach kids to hold themselves back from having sex.

Example Sentences

"Abstinence is the safest option for heart health."

From Science Daily • May 15, 2026

Abstinence is firmly in vogue with the hashtag #celibacy amassing over 200 million views on TikTok.

From Salon • Sep. 5, 2023

Huber, who was suspended from her position at the Ohio Department of Health after a state ethics investigation in 2006, is founder of the National Abstinence Educators Association, which later became Ascend.

From The Guardian • Mar. 14, 2018

And that, in a nutshell, is the goal of Kahana Bigelow, a health teacher at West Lake STEM, a junior high in West Valley City who also teaches the Heritage Abstinence curriculum.

From Washington Times • Jan. 8, 2017

When it happens to a Person, who cannot suspect he has received it by Contact, his Cure should commence with a total Abstinence from all Salt, sour, fat and spicy Food.

From Advice to the people in general, with regard to their health by Tissot, S. A. D. (Samuel Auguste David)

Related Words

• chastity
• fasting
• frugality
• moderation
• self-restraint