abstinent
Americanadjective
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practicing abstinence; refraining from any indulgence of a particular appetite, impulse, or desire, as from alcohol, sexual activity, social media, etc..
In the study, 30 participants were abstinent for 8 hours from their smartphones while 30 participants practiced normal use.
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refraining from using a substance or engaging in an activity to which one has become addicted.
For several months I was abstinent, and mistakenly took this as proof I could control my gambling.
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not casting a vote.
The first feature of the group’s success is their ability to increase turnout among previously abstinent voters.
noun
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a person who refrains from any indulgence of a particular appetite, habit, or addiction.
I'm 21 years old and an abstinent—I used to do drugs, including LSD and speed, but I’ve quit.
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a person who is eligible to vote but chooses not to do so.
In comparison to those who vote, abstinents are mostly less satisfied with the political and social situation in their country.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of abstinent
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Middle French, from Latin abstinent-, stem of abstinēns “avoiding,” present participle of abstinēre “to avoid, restrain, withhold,” literally, “to hold away from”; see abstain ( def. )
Explanation
Someone who's abstinent is moderate and restrained, especially when it comes to consuming food and drink. A person who quits drinking alcohol completely is abstinent. It's most common to use the adjective abstinent to describe someone who has given up using alcohol or other intoxicants, but you can also use it to talk about a person who's self-restrained in other ways. You might say, "No dessert for me — I'm trying to be abstinent this month!" Abstinent is an Old French word meaning "moderate" or "modest," from the Latin abstinere, "to refrain from."
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.
She has vowed to remain abstinent until she marries.
From BBC • May 31, 2025
To get R95 funding, they also cannot require people to be totally abstinent before being admitted.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2024
Harm reduction is the idea that someone does not need to be completely sober or abstinent from drugs in order to receive treatment and care or community support and sympathy.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 25, 2023
“The restaurant business tends to require a lot of face-to-face contact, and that makes those jobs harder right now, wearing masks, dealing with abstinent customers, and the risk of getting COVID,” she said.
From Washington Times • Feb. 3, 2022
"I exhort thee," replied he, "to be an abstinent possessor in this world and a greedy slave in the next."
From The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Volume II by Payne, John
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.
