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

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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

Periwinkle prefers a temperate climate and needs a soil with a good amount of compost.

— Mallory Carra, The Spruce, 3 Aug. 2026
Excellent and affordable Just 100 miles off Italy in the Mediterranean, Malta is a five-island nation with grand beaches, a temperate climate, low crime and an aura of intrigue.

— William P. Barrett, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of temperate

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“Abstemious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstemious. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of abstemious

adjective

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