abstinence

Also ab·sti·nen·cy

[ab-stuh-nuhns]

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.

abstinence

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• abstinent adjective
• proabstinence adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of abstinence¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of abstinence¹

C13: via Old French from Latin abstinentia, from abstinēre to _abstain

Example Sentences

The household was conservative, Presbyterian and promoted abstinence.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In the lived reality of an individual family’s home, she said, “we can’t just teach abstinence.”

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He favours abstinence treatment programmes, when drug users go "cold turkey".

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They are concerned that encouraging abstinence from particular foods could trigger binge eating and extreme dieting to compensate.

Read more on Salon

That’s not to suggest that abstinence alone has turned Team USA into champions.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• chastity 
• fasting www.thesaurus.com
• frugality 
• moderation 
• self-restraint