abstain

Definition for abstain

verb as in hold back from doing

Strongest matches

cease, forgo, pass up, quit, refrain, renounce, shun, withhold

Strong matches

abjure, abnegate, avoid, constrain, curb, decline, eschew, evade, fast, forbear, pass, refuse, spurn, starve, stop

Weak matches

deny oneself, do without, fence-sit, give the go by, give up, go on the wagon, keep from, sit on one's hands, sit on the fence, sit out, take the cure, take the pledge

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Example Sentences

Practising Sikhs and Jains are also vegetarians and abstain from alcohol.

From BBC

Among the Academic Senate’s 44 members, who represent about 4,500 faculty, 21 supported the censure motion, seven opposed and six abstained.

From Los Angeles Times

And while the presidential fever broke the farther west I traveled, of the more than 200 people I spoke with, not one of them said they were going to abstain from voting.

From Salon

Speaking to Michael Gove for a new Radio 4 podcast, Baroness Foster explained why she had chosen to abstain on the vote.

From BBC

In September, he offered money to convince “as many people as possible” to vote No or to abstain in the EU referendum.

From BBC

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abstain

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