abstain
Americanverb (used without object)
-
abstains,
present (3rd person singular)
-
abstained,
past participle, past
-
abstaining
present participle
verb
-
to choose to refrain
he abstained from alcohol
-
to refrain from voting, esp in a committee, legislature, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
abstainsimple
-
abstainssimple
-
have abstainedperfect
-
has abstainedperfect
-
am abstainingprogressive
-
are abstainingprogressive
-
is abstainingprogressive
-
have been abstainingperfect progressive
-
has been abstainingperfect progressive
Past
-
abstainedsimple
-
had abstainedperfect
-
was abstainingprogressive
-
were abstainingprogressive
-
had been abstainingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of abstain
1350–1400; Middle English abste ( i ) nen < Middle French abstenir ≪ Latin abstinēre, equivalent to abs- abs- + -tinēre, combining form of tenēre to hold, keep
Explanation
If you abstain from something, you restrain yourself from consuming it. People usually abstain from things that are considered vices — like eating French fries every day for lunch. Roots of the word abstain are from the 14th-century French, "to withhold oneself," and the word often refers to people who hold themselves back from indulging in habits that are bad for them, physically or morally. Abstain can also mean to withhold a vote, and sometimes a difficult decision is stalled when government representatives abstain from voting one way or another.
Vocabulary lists containing abstain
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 Top "SAT" Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Electoral Elocution: The Verbiage of Voting
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Mitchell said intraparty matchups in the past have shown 35% of orphaned voters or more simply abstain from voting in that race.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández issued a statement calling on Catholics around the world to abstain from attending Mass with the group.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Whatever Evie’s goals, it’s unlikely the issue will lead its readers to actually abstain until marriage.
From Salon ● May 8, 2026
It was to protect worshippers that Israel had asked people of all faiths to "temporarily abstain" from worshipping at all the holy sites in Jerusalem's Old City, he added.
From Barron's ● Mar. 29, 2026
But I have jus enough sense left to abstain.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
Recently persuaded by her teen daughter, Mae, to join social media, Hahn abstains from reading the comments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 26, 2024
Abby now abstains from video sites and TV, Maggie uses library computers for online access, and Sophia's sponsor keeps her in check when she needs to use the internet.
From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2024
“It’s hard. There aren’t enough places,” Archiopoli said, noting that Seattle has a growing segment of population that abstains from alcohol or drugs.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 20, 2023
"But the truth is we know relatively little from this 50%, from this half of the population that abstains from electoral processes."
From Reuters ● Sep. 2, 2022
I wonder why Therese abstains from food, though she is not bound by the nun’s vows.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Aimed at "a more accurate representation" of continental landmasses, the resolution was supported by 164 countries while the United States voted against it and six other states abstained.
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
Mediobanca—itself Assicurazioni Generali’s top shareholder—last year saw an offer for Banca Generali derailed by its own investors, who failed to approve the move after a top shareholder abstained from the vote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
When he was previously an MP he abstained from a 2015 vote on another bill to legalise assisted dying because of concerns over safeguards and people feeling under pressure.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Supervisors Kathryn Barger, Janice Hahn and Holly Mitchell abstained from voting on the motion to extend the protection, while Supervisors Hilda Solis and Horvath supported it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026
She could have made an inquiry or two, as to the expedition and the expense of the Irish mails;—it was at her tongue’s end—but she abstained.
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
After five years of abstaining, a giant chip maker has returned to the bond market.
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
In 2020, Milan Township passed an ordinance that would allow the project to go forward, with Heath’s brother, the township supervisor, abstaining.
From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2026
Members of the Senedd voted on Tuesday 39 to 10 to bring in the ban, with two MSs abstaining.
From BBC ● Mar. 21, 2026
Los Angeles’s city council passed the measure in November by a 12-2 vote, with one member abstaining.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 30, 2025
I remember reading about Pythagoras around this time, and finding some of his ideas curiously appealing—wearing white garments, for instance, or abstaining from foods which have a soul.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
