self-denial
Americannoun
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the sacrifice of one's own desires; unselfishness.
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an act or instance of restraining or curbing one's desires.
To reduce, one has to practice self-denial at the dinner table.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of self-denial
First recorded in 1635–45
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fasting has long been woven into political life in India, a country where many of the religions its citizens embrace attach moral significance to voluntary self-denial.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
But I didn’t want to “surrender” to anything, nor to spend my whole life making amends and walking a path of eternal deprivation and self-denial like I saw in popular recovery communities.
From Slate ● Feb. 15, 2026
So the question facing him was whether another four-year cycle of discipline and self-denial was worth it for the chance to bridge that blink of an eye.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2025
Or they might miss out on joyous experiences by living in constant self-denial.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2025
In one way, this became the most dangerous music ever written, because, despite being motivated by a devotion to self-denial and compassion, it undoubtedly inspired hatred.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
