Dictionary.com

abstinence

[ ab-stuh-nuhns ]
/ ˈæb stə nəns /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for: abstinence / abstinent on Thesaurus.com

noun
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.
any self-restraint, self-denial, or forbearance.
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.See also sobriety (def. 3).
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.
Economics. the conserving of current income in order to build up capital or savings.

VIDEO FOR ABSTINENCE

What Does "Abstinence" Mean For You?

"Abstinence" is so very often about personal choices. That's why we should also try to abstain from judgment.

MORE VIDEOS FROM DICTIONARY.COM
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?
Also ab·sti·nen·cy [ab-stuh-nuhn-see] /ˈæb stə nən si/ .

Origin of abstinence

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

OTHER WORDS FROM abstinence

ab·sti·nent, adjectivepro·ab·sti·nence, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH abstinence

abstention, abstinence
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use abstinence in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for abstinence

abstinence
/ (ˈæbstɪnəns) /

noun
the act or practice of refraining from some action or from the use of something, esp alcohol
mainly RC Church the practice of refraining from specific kinds of food or drink, esp from meat, as an act of penance

Derived forms of abstinence

abstinent, adjective

Word Origin for abstinence

C13: via Old French from Latin abstinentia, from abstinēre to abstain
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
FEEDBACK