abstain
verb (used without object)
to hold oneself back voluntarily, especially from something regarded as improper or unhealthy (usually followed byfrom ).
abstaining
-
present participleof abstain.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong said in an order granting a preliminary injunction that the government “is regularly abstaining from conducting a likelihood of escape analysis at all” when making arrests without a warrant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
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
Senedd members voted to bring in the ban by 39 votes to 10, with two MSs abstaining.
From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2026
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
