austerity

[aw-ster-i-tee]

noun

plural

austerities 

1. austere quality; severity of manner, life, etc.; sternness.

   Synonyms: rigor, asceticism, strictness, harshness
   Antonyms: leniency

2. Usually austerities. ascetic practices.

   austerities of monastery life.

3. harsh economic policies, as increased taxes or decreased funding for social services, usually adopted in response to government debt or deficits (often used attributively): The legislature tried to reduce the budget deficit with austerity measures that raised the retirement age and cut pension benefits.

   Economic growth slowed under austerity.

   The legislature tried to reduce the budget deficit with austerity measures that raised the retirement age and cut pension benefits.

austerity

/ ɒˈstɛrɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being austere

2. (often plural) an austere habit, practice, or act

3. 1. reduced availability of luxuries and consumer goods, esp when brought about by government policy

   2. ( as modifier )

      an austerity budget

Word History and Origins

Origin of austerity¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English austerite , from Anglo-French, Old French austerite , from Latin austēritās; austere, -ity

Synonym Study

See hardship.

Example Sentences

The austerity programs imposed upon southern Europe left deep scars: Greece’s economy is still about a fifth smaller than it was before the crisis, according to International Monetary Fund data.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Those actions, as well as the talking points being used by GOP politicians, government officials and the right-wing media, suggest that starving the hungry might not simply be an unfortunate byproduct of required austerity.

Read more on Salon

A surge in support that has seen Reform UK opening up a 10-point lead in national polls reflects a wider crisis in politics, driven by voters left "angry" by years of austerity, she said.

Read more on BBC

Reeves said there could be "no return to austerity".

Read more on BBC

How did Argentine President Javier Milei overcome opposition to his harsh austerity measures, anger over corruption scandals and a run on the national currency to win a resounding victory in Sunday's midterm elections?

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• prudence 
• self-discipline 

When To Use

What does austerity mean?

Austerity means sternness, severity, or a state of extreme self-discipline or minimalistic living.Austerity is the noun form of the adjective austere, which most commonly means extremely stern or strict or without any frills or luxuries.The word is often used in the context of a national economy in which services and access to certain goods have been scaled back by the government during times of economic crisis. This sense is especially seen in the phrase austerity measures.  The term is sometimes used in its plural form to refer to ascetic practices, like living in a monastery—think of a monk who lives in a bedroom with only a metal cot and eats plain rice every day.Example: The government has turned to austerity to help curb the rising debt.