ABSTEMIOUS Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

abstemious

adjective

ab-ˈstē-mē-əs

Definition of abstemious

as in ascetic

given to or marked by restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites being abstemious diners, they avoid restaurants with all-you-can-eat buffets

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of abstemious Some have evolved exceedingly specific diets—diets that would put even the most abstemious human to shame. — Scott Travers, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 Caroline Schiff, 38, the executive pastry chef at Brooklyn’s Gage & Tollner, says that a decade ago, abstemious diners often asked for sliced fruit in lieu of sugary creations. — Ella Quittner, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2023 Low mass has always been a Miata virtue, endowing the car with not just precise handling but also an abstemious appetite for tires and fuel. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 21 July 2023 But somehow, during his more recent years in Gujarat, Modi had managed to rebrand himself as a sunny, pro-business techno-utopian, an abstemious leader with an intuitive grasp of 21st-century infrastructure and social media. — Mohammad Ali, WIRED, 14 Apr. 2020 See All Example Sentences for abstemious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstemious

Adjective

And there were posters tearing apart his otherworldly self-projection as a fakir, or ascetic, depicting him in his monogrammed suits, designer sunglasses, and aircraft.

— Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026
Then, over the following years, came sustainability and strict reuse and ascetic renunciation, and today, finally, its photo series and articles advocated for a mild, slightly quirky anticapitalist metaphysics.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026

Definition of ascetic

Adjective

Not everybody needs to spend the rest of their life totally abstinent with a cup of shitty coffee in a Styrofoam cup regurgitating platitudes.

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
One of the sacrifices Dolan mentioned in his speech was staying abstinent.

— Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026

Definition of abstinent

Podcast

Cite this Entry

Style

“Abstemious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstemious. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of abstemious

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes