abstain
Example Sentences
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Such “orphaned” voters — those left without a candidate of their party in a general election — are historically just as likely to abstain from voting or to vote based on far less strategic considerations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández issued a statement calling on Catholics around the world to abstain from attending Mass with the group.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Whatever Evie’s goals, it’s unlikely the issue will lead its readers to actually abstain until marriage.
From Salon ● May 8, 2026
The government holds a majority in the House of Commons, so a large number of Labour MPs would have to vote for an inquiry or abstain in order for one to be launched.
From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2026
I told him that I intended to abstain while in exile.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
He clarified that this could mean that the party abstains on any vote for the next first minister after the 2026 Holyrood election.
From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2025
Recently persuaded by her teen daughter, Mae, to join social media, Hahn abstains from reading the comments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 26, 2024
If not, the foreign country abstains from submitting a formal re-export request, and no diplomatic harm is done.
From Reuters ● Jan. 23, 2023
Like Trump, the former vice president has pointed to alcoholism in his family in explaining why he abstains.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 10, 2020
I wonder why Therese abstains from food, though she is not bound by the nun’s vows.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
“I abstained because I did not see sufficient evidence to justify extending this emergency ordinance, nor did I see evidence to eliminate it entirely,” Hahn said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026
Nekhaila, who would have been the tiebreaking vote, abstained.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026
While they released the letter spelling out their dissent, the Fed clarified that Bowman had abstained from the vote.
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
Twenty six councillors voted for the motion and 27 against, while two councillors abstained from voting.
From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2026
Apparently the protections of the treaty were quite strong for those who totally abstained from magic and mischief.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
In his view, they can "bring young people back to politics", especially those particularly prone to abstaining from voting.
From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026
Senedd members voted to bring in the ban by 39 votes to 10, with two MSs abstaining.
From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2026
Most voters our columnist spoke with are following the new rule to watch everything, or abstaining from certain categories.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2026
Could anyone really be blamed for wanting to avoid even more pain and heartbreak by abstaining from dating altogether?
From Salon ● Dec. 17, 2025
I remember reading about Pythagoras around this time, and finding some of his ideas curiously appealing—wearing white garments, for instance, or abstaining from foods which have a soul.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Vocabulary lists containing abstain
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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100 Top "SAT" Words
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Electoral Elocution: The Verbiage of Voting
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