abstain
Example Sentences
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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
It was to protect worshippers that Israel had asked people of all faiths to "temporarily abstain" from worshipping at all the holy sites in Jerusalem's Old City, he added.
From Barron's ● Mar. 29, 2026
“Arbitrators aren’t elected, they’re not required to weigh countywide trade-offs like homeless services, healthcare, capital improvements, all of those things,” said Supervisor Holly Mitchell, the only supervisor to abstain from the vote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2026
Coffee wasn’t a choice: Tanner is Mormon, and adherents traditionally abstain.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026
The couple had made few friends during their time in the state, making it easier to abstain from the life of town.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Their motion could be successful if at least one Labour Senedd member either rebels, abstains or does not take part.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 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
As they say goodbye, Smith abstains from the fist bump that he and David have always shared.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 22, 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
The remaining 27 lawmakers were absent or abstained.
From BBC ● May 12, 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 2020, Milan Township passed an ordinance that would allow the project to go forward, with Heath’s brother, the township supervisor, abstaining.
From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2026
Los Angeles’s city council passed the measure in November by a 12-2 vote, with one member abstaining.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 30, 2025
The motion passed 4-0, with Supervisor Kathryn Barger abstaining.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 2, 2025
Twelve voted against it, with seven in favour and one abstaining.
From BBC ● Nov. 21, 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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