abstentions
n. B2 Upper Intermediate US //æbˈstɛntʃənz// UK //ɐbstˈɛnʃənz// ab·sten·tions
n. the act of not voting in an election or a meeting. It is a formal way to say someone chose to stay away from the process.
n. the act of refraining from voting in an election or a formal meeting. Often used in political or legal contexts to describe a deliberate choice to remain neutral.
The candidate won the election with a large majority and few abstentions.
During the committee meeting, several members cast their votes while others chose to make abstentions to avoid taking a public stance.
The final tally showed that while the proposal passed by a narrow margin, the high number of abstentions suggested a significant portion of the electorate remained undecided or uninterested in the outcome.