abstain

Minority governments can happen if some members of the parliament abstain from the vote.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026

"We must intensify efforts to help people quit tobacco use, avoid cancer-linked infections, abstain from alcohol, maintain a healthy weight, and get more daily exercise."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 7, 2026

Marra came to a deal with Sarwar – he was allowed to abstain.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

Mayra Goulart, political science professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, told AFP the main challenge for Lula and Flavio will be to reach "disengaged voters" who are highly likely to abstain.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

Better to abstain from the gardens of delectable delights than to be stuck planting them, dawn to dusk.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

He, too, said he abstains from getting involved due to the damage illegal mining does to the land, especially as a result of the chemicals used for extracting gold.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

Even if Warsh abstains again, the other 18 senior Fed members are all expected to submit their own dots.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026

Abby now abstains from video sites and TV, Maggie uses library computers for online access, and Sophia's sponsor keeps her in check when she needs to use the internet.

From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2024

“It’s hard. There aren’t enough places,” Archiopoli said, noting that Seattle has a growing segment of population that abstains from alcohol or drugs.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 20, 2023

I don’t know if the hose were clean, but I do notice that everyone on the show abstains from drinking lemonade that day.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

The U.K. and European countries abstained from voting.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

In Caracas, some opposition lawmakers abstained from the show-of-hands vote to approve the US deal, arguing that they should be able to view the written terms before making a decision.

From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026

Norway's football federation abstained and argued the bidding process undermined "Fifa's reforms for good governance" and challenged "trust in Fifa".

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

Supervisors Kathryn Barger, Janice Hahn and Holly Mitchell abstained from voting on the motion to extend the protection, while Supervisors Hilda Solis and Horvath supported it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026

More than a third of the senators abstained from voting.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

After five years of abstaining, a giant chip maker has returned to the bond market.

From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026

Members of the Senedd voted on Tuesday 39 to 10 to bring in the ban, with two MSs abstaining.

From BBC ● Mar. 21, 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

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

Even when Ramadan arrived during the season and I had to play volleyball and fence while fasting from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from food and water, I still didn’t want to quit.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad