austerity

noun

Definition of austeritynext
1
as in sacrifice
voluntary restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites They moved off the grid to live a life of austerity.

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2
as in gruffness
the quality or state of being stern and serious in manner or appearance His air of austerity tends to put others off.

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3
as in deprivation
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions His family spent years living in austerity during the recession.

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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 austerity If anything, her day-to-day vibe is more Coldwater Creek chic than the minimalist austerity the luxury brand is known for. — Sam Reed, Glamour, 30 July 2026 But despite its already lean operations, Ikea didn’t join the AI-era rush to impose more austerity. — Claire Zillman, Fortune, 30 July 2026 Years of austerity that followed the 2008 financial crash mean economic growth – and household incomes – have largely stagnated since then. — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 17 July 2026 The bank branch was on the route of a mass demonstration called during a general strike to protest austerity measures imposed for the country’s first bailout. — ABC News, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for austerity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austerity
  1. sacrifice
  2. gruffness
  3. deprivation
  4. discipline
  5. asceticism
  6. misery
  7. restraint
  8. severity
Noun
  • Beyond the sacrifice of American lives, American households have faced higher costs.
    — Justin Fishel, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • But to me, the fun of image editing is in the manual tweaks and edits, so like most AI tools, these NexSnap features sacrifice creativity for convenience.
    — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of sacrifice
Noun
  • Mackay and Turner are both excellent, two movie stars who seem totally game to be asked to move with real gruffness.
    — Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 17 June 2026
  • But then Popper smiled and the arrival of opening day momentarily mellowed his gruffness.
    — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of gruffness
Noun
  • Summary Quality sleep is crucial for leaders' performance, yet unpredictable schedules often lead to sleep deprivation, thus impairing vital cognitive functions like memory.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The rare mental illness is linked to stress, sleep deprivation and hormonal changes following childbirth.
    — Michael Casey, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of deprivation
Noun
  • The university, like campuses nationwide, is barred by federal privacy law from discussing individual discipline cases or internal deliberations, even when a student goes public.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Eisenhower possessed iron discipline, sunny self-confidence and a mind that loved organizational challenges.
    — John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of discipline
Noun
  • In the face of fresh crisis, belief veered towards asceticism and sometimes mysticism.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
  • Just books and plays, and an asceticism associated with the priests Jim would often play.
    — Carl Kurlander, Deadline, 13 June 2026
Definition of asceticism
Noun
  • But Moores would express misery in recalling ballpark-construction hassles and MLB politics that frustrated his advocacy of small-market clubs and game-day affordability.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • This summer’s misery has been driven less by scorching afternoons than by record-warm nights and Miami-level humidity, according to scientist Daniel Swain.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of misery
Noun
  • If the answer is yes, then waiting ceases to be a strategy of restraint and begins to look like gradual erosion of power and strength.
    — Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Meghna Gulzar has a very distinctive voice and an ability to approach difficult subjects with both restraint and intensity.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of restraint
Noun
  • Tyreke Smith had a good month, but the severity of his hamstring injury could make Harris’ path cleaner.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Some recalls, Eskin said, are made after companies’ routine testing catches a pathogen before anyone gets sick, while others involve outbreaks that are already underway and vary widely in size and severity.
    — Dian Zhang, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of severity

Browse Nearby Words

austereness
austerity
Australian ballot
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Cite this Entry

“Austerity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austerity. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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