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 misery
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
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Recent Examples of austerity
If that scenario unfolds, the U.S. could be forced into painful austerity.
—
Selina Wang, ABC News, 4 July 2025
Onganía promised nothing less than a new social order: a project of economic modernization marked by austerity, and a cultural policy that included censoring artists, attacking the autonomy of universities, banning miniskirts, and prohibiting long hair for men.
—Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
But voters from across the political spectrum oppose the austerity plans for Medicaid and the ACA.
—Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Mamet’s austerity and sparseness hold these three sequences together.
—Armond White, National Review, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for austerity
Selina Wang, ABC News, 4 July 2025
Onganía promised nothing less than a new social order: a project of economic modernization marked by austerity, and a cultural policy that included censoring artists, attacking the autonomy of universities, banning miniskirts, and prohibiting long hair for men.
—Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
But voters from across the political spectrum oppose the austerity plans for Medicaid and the ACA.
—Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Mamet’s austerity and sparseness hold these three sequences together.
—Armond White, National Review, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for austerity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austerity
Noun
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Advertisement Vikram’s role as the final sacrifice Vikram Singh, a local police officer and Rea’s close ally, becomes the cult’s ultimate target.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
25 July 2025
-
Looking Forward—Innovation Without Sacrifice The notion that innovation inevitably comes with sacrifices is outdated.—
Vincent Ledoux Pedailles,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
That simplistic assessment would not account for the first student’s misery or the second child’s enjoyment.—
Iddo Gefen,
Twin Cities,
16 July 2025
-
Forced to comply with stereotypical African-American misery, Burnett works best outside Hollywood formula.—
Armond White,
National Review,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
Share Your Commitments With Others Share your commitments to drive discipline.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
But earth sign parents can also lean toward being stubborn and strict, which may cause friction during a stand off or while navigating discipline or tough conversations.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
That kind of asceticism seemed neither fun nor sustainable.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
11 June 2025
-
Role models for digital moderation, much less asceticism, are in short supply.—
Jack Butler,
National Review,
11 May 2025
Noun
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By April 2024, as the bombing, displacement and deprivation continued, UNICEF estimated that 100 percent of children in Gaza were in need of mental health and psychosocial support.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
-
Johnson was sentenced last year in U.S. District Court in New Mexico to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of willful deprivation of civil rights.—
Imani Cruzen,
Twin Cities,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
In the second photo, the animals are freed of their restraints — one of the pets is crawling about the bin while the other stays in its shell.—
Colson Thayer,
People.com,
24 July 2025
-
Unlike the Washington consensus, which mandated fiscal austerity and economic restraint, Silicon Valley’s calls for unprecedented investment and acceleration.—
Arafat Kabir,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Noun
-
While relapse of multiple myeloma is regarded as inevitable, the timing and severity vary widely.—
Anna Giorgi,
Verywell Health,
14 July 2025
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But in the meantime, relatives could only guess the severity of the injury by observing the facial expressions of Nuggets personnel.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
13 July 2025
Noun
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Since emerging from bankruptcy, the company has overhauled its menu—streamlining offerings by 20% while adding new items like Lobster Pappardelle Pasta, Bacon-Wrapped Sea Scallops, and revitalizing favorites including hush puppies and popcorn shrimp.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
25 July 2025
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The documentary was completed prior to Joel’s recent diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus, but there are candid assessments of other struggles he’s endured, including depression, bankruptcy and alcoholism.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Austerity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austerity. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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