abstinence
n. uncountablen. the choice to not do something you enjoy, like drinking alcohol or eating certain foods. It is often done for health, religious, or personal reasons.
n. the practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something, typically alcohol, food, or sexual activity. Often implies a deliberate or principled choice rather than a lack of opportunity.
He practiced total abstinence from alcohol for a whole year.
The doctor recommended complete abstinence from sugary snacks to help manage the patient's blood sugar levels.
While some cultures view periodic abstinence as a path to spiritual clarity, others treat it as a pragmatic method for maintaining physical discipline and self-control.
From Middle English abstinence, from Old French abstinence, from Latin abstinentia, from abstinēns, present participle of abstineō (“I withhold”). Equivalent to abstain + -ence.
Usually takes the preposition 'from' to indicate the activity being avoided.