noun
abstention
Abstention (noun) means the act of holding oneself back from doing something.
noun
1
The act of holding oneself back from doing something.
2
The act of deliberately not taking part in something.
3
A choice not to vote either for or against something.
"There were five abstentions in the vote."
4
(politics) A country's policy of staying out of international affairs.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like abstention.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Etymology
First recorded in 1521, abstention was borrowed from French abstention, from Late Latin abstēntiō, from Latin abstinēō (“withhold, to abstain”).
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for abstention
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for abstention →
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of abstention?
"abstention" (noun) means the act of holding oneself back from doing something.
What is another word for abstention?
Other words for "abstention" include abstinence.
What are the different meanings of abstention?
"abstention" has 3 main meanings: 1. The act of holding oneself back from doing something; 2. The act of deliberately not taking part in something; 3. A choice not to vote either for or against something.
