abstinencenoun [ U ]
uk/ˈæb.stɪ.nəns/us/ˈæb.stə.nəns/formalnot doing something, such as drinking alcohol or having sex:
The best way to avoid pregnancy is total abstinence from sex.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Abstaining and refraining
- abstain
- abstemious
- abstention
- back off
- beg off
- fast
- give
- give (sth) up
- give up sth
- hors de combat
- keep
- keep (sb/sth) out of sth
- not be in the business of sth idiom
- refrain
- step back
- stop
- stop short of sth idiom
- swear off sth
- touch
- wouldn't touch sth with a barge pole idiom
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abstinent
adjective uk/ˈæb.stɪ.nənt/us/ˈæb.stə.nənt/
sexually abstinent