verb
Uncommon
abstain
uhb-STAYN
Abstain (verb) means to deliberately not take part in something, especially eating, drinking, or voting. Example: “He decided to abstain from alcohol during training.”
verb
1
To deliberately not take part in something, especially eating, drinking, or voting.
"He decided to abstain from alcohol during training."
"Two council members chose to abstain rather than vote."
How to use abstain
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo hold yourself back from doing something — commonly used for giving up alcohol, food, or choosing not to vote.
Common pairings
abstain from voting
abstain from alcohol
choose to abstain
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- abstains
- Past tense
- abstained
- Archaic forms
- abstainest, abstaineth, abstainedst
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He decided to _____ from alcohol during training.
Etymology
From Old French abstenir, based on Latin abstineo, "to hold oneself back," from abs- ("away from") and teneo ("to hold").
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for abstain
See all rhymes for abstain →Frequently asked questions
What does “abstain” mean?
The word “abstain” means to deliberately not take part in something, especially eating, drinking, or voting. In plain terms, to hold yourself back from doing something — commonly used for giving up alcohol, food, or choosing not to vote.
How do you pronounce “abstain”?
“Abstain” is pronounced uhb-STAYN (/əbˈsteɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “abstain” in a sentence?
Here is “abstain” used in a sentence: “He decided to abstain from alcohol during training.”
What is another word for “abstain”?
Words with a similar meaning to “abstain” include abjure, deny oneself, forbear, forgo, give up and refrain.
What part of speech is “abstain”?
“Abstain” is a verb.
Where does the word “abstain” come from?
The word “abstain” comes from Latin. From Old French abstenir, based on Latin abstineo, "to hold oneself back," from abs- ("away from") and teneo ("to hold").
Is “abstain” a common word?
“Abstain” is an uncommon word in modern English.
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