abstinence
- 01 C1 Advanced
the act of choosing not to do something you enjoy, often for health, religious, or moral reasons.
the practice of refraining from indulging an appetite or desire. Uncountable in its general sense; countable when referring to specific instances of restraint.
Simple“The doctor suggested total abstinence from sugary snacks to help his recovery.”
In context“The monk's life was defined by strict abstinence, a discipline he believed was necessary for achieving spiritual clarity.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
not drinking any alcohol at all.
the practice of total avoidance of alcoholic beverages, often as part of a recovery programme or social movement.
Simple“After years of heavy drinking, he has maintained his abstinence for a decade.”
In context“The organisation promotes complete abstinence from alcohol as the only reliable path to long-term health for those with a history of dependency.”
SynonymssobrietyteetotalismAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
the choice to not have sex, often until marriage.
the practice of refraining from sexual intercourse, typically for moral, religious, or contraceptive reasons.
Simple“Some schools teach abstinence as a way to prevent teenage pregnancy.”
In context“The study examined the effectiveness of abstinence-only education compared to comprehensive sexual health programmes in urban high schools.”
Antonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
choosing to save money instead of spending it right away.
the delay of immediate consumption or spending in order to accumulate capital or savings.
Simple“The family's financial abstinence allowed them to buy a house after five years.”
In context“In classical economics, interest is sometimes described as a reward for the abstinence required to save rather than spend.”
UsageOften used in classical economic theory regarding capital accumulation.
SynonymsfrugalitysavingAntonyms
“Mice that developed compulsive drinking after alcohol abstinence showed more than double the activity in a brain region associated with stress and addiction.”
“Although alcohol abstinence is associated with improved health outcomes , addiction researchers have theorized that brain changes that occur during abstinence may increase a person’s risk of relapse .”
From Middle English abstinence, from Old French abstinence, from Latin abstinentia, from abstinēns, present participle of abstineō (“I withhold”). Equivalent to abstain + -ence.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.