abstinence

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal

n. not drinking any alcohol at all.

n. the practice of total avoidance of alcoholic beverages, often as part of a recovery programme or social movement.

“After years of heavy drinking, he has maintained his abstinence for a decade.”

“The organisation promotes complete abstinence from alcohol as the only reliable path to long-term health for those with a history of dependency.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal

n. the choice to not have sex, often until marriage.

n. the practice of refraining from sexual intercourse, typically for moral, religious, or contraceptive reasons.

“Some schools teach abstinence as a way to prevent teenage pregnancy.”

“The study examined the effectiveness of abstinence-only education compared to comprehensive sexual health programmes in urban high schools.”

C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Business Technical · Academic

n. choosing to save money instead of spending it right away.

n. the delay of immediate consumption or spending in order to accumulate capital or savings.

“The family's financial abstinence allowed them to buy a house after five years.”

“In classical economics, interest is sometimes described as a reward for the abstinence required to save rather than spend.”