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View synonyms for austerity

austerity

[aw-ster-i-tee]

noun

plural

austerities 
  1. austere quality; severity of manner, life, etc.; sternness.

    Antonyms: leniency
  2. Usually austerities. ascetic practices.

    austerities of monastery life.

  3. harsh economic policies, as increased taxes or decreased funding for social services, usually adopted in response to government debt or deficits (often used attributively): The legislature tried to reduce the budget deficit with austerity measures that raised the retirement age and cut pension benefits.

    Economic growth slowed under austerity.

    The legislature tried to reduce the budget deficit with austerity measures that raised the retirement age and cut pension benefits.



austerity

/ ɒˈstɛrɪtɪ /

noun

  1. the state or quality of being austere

  2. (often plural) an austere habit, practice, or act

    1. reduced availability of luxuries and consumer goods, esp when brought about by government policy

    2. ( as modifier )

      an austerity budget

“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
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Word History and Origins

Origin of austerity1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English austerite , from Anglo-French, Old French austerite , from Latin austēritās; austere, -ity
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Synonym Study

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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.

Public sector workers were protesting against austerity measures and a government increasingly perceived as leaning right.

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Among other austerity measures, he halved government ministries, cut tens of thousands of public jobs, slashed budgets including for education, health, pensions and infrastructure, and removed subsidies – spiking utility and transport prices.

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Lecornu's reappointment comes as France faces political deadlock and a parliamentary impasse over an austerity budget against a backdrop of climbing public debt.

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Pressure mounted Saturday on France's newly reappointed premier Sebastien Lecornu to get an austerity budget approved, as more parties threatened to topple a man whose first term lasted a mere 27 days.

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Macron's office said he would pick a name by Friday evening after his seventh prime minister Sebastien Lecornu threw in the towel on Monday following months of stalemate over an austerity budget.

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When To Use

What does austerity mean?

Austerity means sternness, severity, or a state of extreme self-discipline or minimalistic living.Austerity is the noun form of the adjective austere, which most commonly means extremely stern or strict or without any frills or luxuries.The word is often used in the context of a national economy in which services and access to certain goods have been scaled back by the government during times of economic crisis. This sense is especially seen in the phrase austerity measures.  The term is sometimes used in its plural form to refer to ascetic practices, like living in a monastery—think of a monk who lives in a bedroom with only a metal cot and eats plain rice every day.Example: The government has turned to austerity to help curb the rising debt.

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austereAusterlitz