ascetic

adjective

as·cet·ic ə-ˈse-tik How to pronounce ascetic (audio)

variants or less commonly ascetical

ə-ˈse-ti-kəl How to pronounce ascetic (audio)

: practicing strict self-denial as a measure of personal and especially spiritual discipline

an ascetic monk

an ascetic diet

: austere in appearance, manner, or attitude

ascetic noun

ascetically

ə-ˈse-ti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce ascetic (audio)

adverb

Did you know?

Ascetic comes from askētikos, a Greek adjective meaning "laborious." Ultimately, it comes from the Greek verb askein, which means "to exercise" or "to work." There aren't many other English words from askein, but there's no dearth of synonyms for ascetic. Severe and austere, for example, are two words that share with ascetic the basic meaning "given to or marked by strict discipline and firm restraint." Ascetic implies abstention from pleasure, comfort, and self-indulgence as spiritual discipline, whereas severe implies standards enforced without indulgence or laxity and may suggest harshness (as in "severe military discipline"). Austere stresses absence of warmth, color, or feeling and may apply to rigorous restraint, simplicity, or self-denial (as in "living an austere life in the country").

Example Sentences

Patterson's collection begins on the walls of the stairway to his basement. "That's where Cindy draws the line. That's probably a real good idea," he says. Mattsson, ascetic for a bachelor, imposes the same rule on himself. LeBeau, who has never been married, is much less restrained.

Tom Harpole, Air & Space, December 1999/January 2000 By Hollywood standards, Calley's career path may seem enigmatic, but then, so is his personality. If Mark Canton, the previous Sony president, was the boastful, Armani-clad big spender, Calley is downright ascetic, a man who disdains Hollywood profligacy.

Peter Bart, GQ, August 1997 He converted to Catholicism and, after a long period of intense self-questioning, became a Trappist monk at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky, which, at the time, was as ascetic and demanding as any monastery of the Middle Ages.

Julius Lester, Falling Pieces of the Broken Sky, 1990

Recent Examples on the Web For centuries, fad diets have preyed on those who've been brutalized by feminine beauty standards, and Johnson is breaking tradition with an ascetic set of rules designed to innervate a more masculine insecurity.

Luke Winkie, Bon Appétit, 31 Aug. 2022 Omar, who was known for his ascetic lifestyle and aversion to foreigners, died in hiding in 2013; his successor, Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, was more worldly.

New York Times, 8 Aug. 2022 Fasting, which is often considered ascetic, is actually compatible with a deep appreciation of food.

Kyle Boelte, Outside Online, 10 May 2017 Stanislavski saw his students as votaries in an ascetic cult.

New York Times, 3 Aug. 2022 Ravi Dutt, the 69-year-old Hindu ascetic from eastern West Bengal state, was camping near the cave on Friday evening.

Aijaz Hussain, ajc, 9 July 2022 This dissident and ascetic religious group, then considered heretics, gathered in this part of Europe during the 12th century.

Terry Ward, CNN, 7 July 2022 By the time Orbán ran for reëlection earlier this year, Dreher had completed his transition from aspiring ascetic to partisan booster.

Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 June 2022 His eyebrows seemingly shaved and face often obscured by a scarf, Saul presents a curious figure, one who’s at once an artist, ninja and religious ascetic.

New York Times, 2 June 2022 See More

ascetic 1 of 2

adjective

variants also ascetical

as in monastic

formal relating to or having a strict and simple way of living that avoids physical pleasure He committed to having an ascetic existence during his rehab. an ascetic diet of rice and beans

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

monastic
authoritarian
exacting
rigorous
monkish
adamant
strict
demanding
hard
austere
tough
relentless
rigid
stern
harsh
severe
steadfast
flinty
merciless
uncompromising
pitiless
unforgiving
unbending
hardened
uncharitable
relentless
implacable
unrelenting
ramrod
inflexible
dour
unyielding
callous
adamantine
immovable
heavy-handed
ossified
unsparing
gruff
determined
chaste
hard-line
stiff
celibate
unflinching
rock-ribbed
obstinate
hard-hearted
browbeating
bullying
resolved
dogged
single-minded
intractable
disciplined
firm

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

easygoing
charitable
patient
mild
merciful
easy
kind
undemanding
soft
softhearted
laid-back
compromising
accepting
agreeable
flexible
indulgent
yielding
acquiescent
willing
responsive
gentle
amenable
lenient
complaisant
forbearing
lax
compliant
pliant
pliable
tolerant
clement

ascetic

2 of 2

noun

as in prude

Synonyms & Similar Words

prude
killjoy
straight arrow
fuddy-duddy
wet blanket
spoilsport

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sensualist
hedonist
voluptuary
sybarite
debauchee
decadent
glutton
epicure
Cyrenaic
gourmand
Epicurean
bon vivant

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of ascetic are austere, severe, and stern. While all these words mean "given to or marked by strict discipline and firm restraint," ascetic implies abstention from pleasure and comfort or self-indulgence as spiritual discipline.

the ascetic life of the monks

The words austere and ascetic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, austere stresses absence of warmth, color, or feeling and may apply to rigorous restraint, simplicity, or self-denial.

living an austere life in the country

The synonyms severe and ascetic are sometimes interchangeable, but severe implies standards enforced without indulgence or laxity and may suggest harshness.

severe military discipline

While in some cases nearly identical to ascetic, stern stresses inflexibility and inexorability of temper or character.

stern arbiters of public morality

单词	ascetic
释义	ascetic adjective as·cet·ic ə-ˈse-tik a- variants or less commonly ascetical ə-ˈse-ti-kəl 1 : practicing strict self-denial as a measure of personal and especially spiritual discipline an ascetic monk an ascetic diet 2 : austere in appearance, manner, or attitude ascetic noun ascetically ə-ˈse-ti-k(ə-)lē adverb Did you know? Ascetic comes from askētikos, a Greek adjective meaning "laborious." Ultimately, it comes from the Greek verb askein, which means "to exercise" or "to work." There aren't many other English words from askein, but there's no dearth of synonyms for ascetic. Severe and austere, for example, are two words that share with ascetic the basic meaning "given to or marked by strict discipline and firm restraint." Ascetic implies abstention from pleasure, comfort, and self-indulgence as spiritual discipline, whereas severe implies standards enforced without indulgence or laxity and may suggest harshness (as in "severe military discipline"). Austere stresses absence of warmth, color, or feeling and may apply to rigorous restraint, simplicity, or self-denial (as in "living an austere life in the country"). Example Sentences Patterson's collection begins on the walls of the stairway to his basement. "That's where Cindy draws the line. That's probably a real good idea," he says. Mattsson, ascetic for a bachelor, imposes the same rule on himself. LeBeau, who has never been married, is much less restrained. Tom Harpole, Air & Space, December 1999/January 2000 By Hollywood standards, Calley's career path may seem enigmatic, but then, so is his personality. If Mark Canton, the previous Sony president, was the boastful, Armani-clad big spender, Calley is downright ascetic, a man who disdains Hollywood profligacy. Peter Bart, GQ, August 1997 He converted to Catholicism and, after a long period of intense self-questioning, became a Trappist monk at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky, which, at the time, was as ascetic and demanding as any monastery of the Middle Ages. Julius Lester, Falling Pieces of the Broken Sky, 1990 Recent Examples on the Web For centuries, fad diets have preyed on those who've been brutalized by feminine beauty standards, and Johnson is breaking tradition with an ascetic set of rules designed to innervate a more masculine insecurity. Luke Winkie, Bon Appétit, 31 Aug. 2022 Omar, who was known for his ascetic lifestyle and aversion to foreigners, died in hiding in 2013; his successor, Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, was more worldly. New York Times, 8 Aug. 2022 Fasting, which is often considered ascetic, is actually compatible with a deep appreciation of food. Kyle Boelte, Outside Online, 10 May 2017 Stanislavski saw his students as votaries in an ascetic cult. New York Times, 3 Aug. 2022 Ravi Dutt, the 69-year-old Hindu ascetic from eastern West Bengal state, was camping near the cave on Friday evening. Aijaz Hussain, ajc, 9 July 2022 This dissident and ascetic religious group, then considered heretics, gathered in this part of Europe during the 12th century. Terry Ward, CNN, 7 July 2022 By the time Orbán ran for reëlection earlier this year, Dreher had completed his transition from aspiring ascetic to partisan booster. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 June 2022 His eyebrows seemingly shaved and face often obscured by a scarf, Saul presents a curious figure, one who’s at once an artist, ninja and religious ascetic. New York Times, 2 June 2022 See More Word History Etymology Greek askētikos, literally, laborious, from askētēs one that exercises, hermit, from askein to work, exercise First Known Use 1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1 ascetic 1 of 2 adjective variants also ascetical as in monastic formal relating to or having a strict and simple way of living that avoids physical pleasure He committed to having an ascetic existence during his rehab. an ascetic diet of rice and beans Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance monastic authoritarian exacting rigorous monkish adamant strict demanding hard austere tough relentless rigid stern harsh severe steadfast flinty merciless uncompromising pitiless unforgiving unbending hardened uncharitable relentless implacable unrelenting ramrod inflexible dour unyielding callous adamantine immovable heavy-handed ossified unsparing gruff determined chaste hard-line stiff celibate unflinching rock-ribbed obstinate hard-hearted browbeating bullying resolved dogged single-minded intractable disciplined firm Antonyms & Near Antonyms easygoing charitable patient mild merciful easy kind undemanding soft softhearted laid-back compromising accepting agreeable flexible indulgent yielding acquiescent willing responsive gentle amenable lenient complaisant forbearing lax compliant pliant pliable tolerant clement See More ascetic 2 of 2 noun as in prude Synonyms & Similar Words prude killjoy straight arrow fuddy-duddy wet blanket spoilsport Antonyms & Near Antonyms sensualist hedonist voluptuary sybarite debauchee decadent glutton epicure Cyrenaic gourmand Epicurean bon vivant See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of ascetic are austere, severe, and stern. While all these words mean "given to or marked by strict discipline and firm restraint," ascetic implies abstention from pleasure and comfort or self-indulgence as spiritual discipline. the ascetic life of the monks The words austere and ascetic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, austere stresses absence of warmth, color, or feeling and may apply to rigorous restraint, simplicity, or self-denial. living an austere life in the country The synonyms severe and ascetic are sometimes interchangeable, but severe implies standards enforced without indulgence or laxity and may suggest harshness. severe military discipline While in some cases nearly identical to ascetic, stern stresses inflexibility and inexorability of temper or character. stern arbiters of public morality
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ascetic

adjective

Did you know?

Example Sentences

Word History

adjective

noun

Synonym Chooser