abstain

[ab-steyn] / æbˈsteɪn /

VERB

hold back from doing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cease forgo pass up quit refrain renounce shun withhold

STRONG

abjure abnegate avoid constrain curb decline eschew evade fast forbear pass refuse spurn starve stop

WEAK

deny oneself do without fence-sit give the go by give up go on the wagon keep from sit on one's hands sit on the fence sit out take the cure take the pledge

Antonyms

STRONGEST

continue do

STRONG

accept allow embrace encourage face meet use want

WEAK

indulge

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.

It was to protect worshippers that Israel had asked people of all faiths to "temporarily abstain" from worshipping at all the holy sites in Jerusalem's Old City, he added.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

“Arbitrators aren’t elected, they’re not required to weigh countywide trade-offs like homeless services, healthcare, capital improvements, all of those things,” said Supervisor Holly Mitchell, the only supervisor to abstain from the vote.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

Coffee wasn’t a choice: Tanner is Mormon, and adherents traditionally abstain.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

The basics of a no-spend—or low-spend, depending on your personal definition—challenge are just that: for a predetermined period of time, you abstain from nonessential purchases.

From Salon • Jan. 11, 2026

But I have jus enough sense left to abstain.

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

Vocabulary lists containing abstain

100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

100 Top "SAT" Words

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Electoral Elocution: The Verbiage of Voting

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!