austere

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.

He was brought up in Protestantism, to which was often attributed his austere demeanour, but gave up religion in his teens.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

The austere institution southwest of Tokyo was set up by the founder of consumer-electronics giant Panasonic to nurture future leaders who, like Takaichi, didn’t have the privileged background typical of Japanese politicians.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

According to the location scouts, the success of such austere settings lies in their aesthetic, practical and economic value.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

“Mise en place,” French for everything in its place, sounds austere, but the practice itself is anything but.

From Salon • Dec. 20, 2025

Its austere emptiness made her nervous; she wished he had pictures or books or Russian dolls that she could look at.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie