austerity

noun

Definition of austeritynext
1
as in sacrifice
voluntary restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites They moved off the grid to live a life of austerity.

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2
as in gruffness
the quality or state of being stern and serious in manner or appearance His air of austerity tends to put others off.

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3
as in deprivation
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions His family spent years living in austerity during the recession.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of austerity Just north of Manchester, the former mill town of Bury was hit hard by deindustrialization, then faced additional struggles under the austerity movement of the twenty-tens. — Vanda Mayer, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2026 The stop carries political overtones as cuts to disability funding have become a flashpoint in Milei’s austerity program. — ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026 Alternatively, policymakers can use monetary tightening and austerity measures to suppress import demand, restoring the trade surplus at similar export levels. — Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2026 All the austerity options—cutting spending, reforming entitlements, or raising taxes are measures politicians are reluctant to embrace before an election. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for austerity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for austerity
  1. sacrifice
  2. gruffness
  3. deprivation
  4. discipline
  5. asceticism
  6. misery
  7. restraint
  8. severity
Noun
  • Team owner James Dolan promised rings to the players' significant others as well, highlighting that the support and sacrifices of the players' partners during last season's playoffs were vital to securing the title.
    — Otis Livingston, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Watching the Taliban regain power called into question the meaning of their sacrifice, and the government’s difficulty evacuating Afghan comrades who had fought with them felt like a betrayal.
    — Azadeh Moaveni, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of sacrifice
Noun
  • Mackay and Turner are both excellent, two movie stars who seem totally game to be asked to move with real gruffness.
    — Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 17 June 2026
  • But then Popper smiled and the arrival of opening day momentarily mellowed his gruffness.
    — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of gruffness
Noun
  • More research is needed to better understand the connection between creatine and cognition; but the supplement may be beneficial for brain health, particularly in older adults and for issues related to sleep deprivation.
    — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Both were transferred to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth and spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit, where they were diagnosed with brain injuries due to oxygen deprivation.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of deprivation
Noun
  • Today, a fourth discipline has quietly become just as important.
    — Tom Wicky, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But Roger remembers the particular discipline of working on low-budget film productions, when stock and time were precious and rolling the camera was consequential.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of discipline
Noun
  • In the face of fresh crisis, belief veered towards asceticism and sometimes mysticism.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
  • Just books and plays, and an asceticism associated with the priests Jim would often play.
    — Carl Kurlander, Deadline, 13 June 2026
Definition of asceticism
Noun
  • Adding to the misery, Jason Sanders — a longtime Dolphins kicker in his first season with the Jets — hit the right upright on a 40-yard try.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • With Dunham as creator, showrunner and star, the original series ran from 2012 to 2017 and followed a group of friends through the misery and dysfunction of their 20s in New York City.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of misery
Noun
  • Kitchen also had to develop a little more restraint — something that doesn't always come naturally in a sport where riders are constantly pushing the limits of speed and control.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Sullivan faces two counts of first-degree kidnapping and a single count each of first-degree assault, first-degree unlawful restraint and intentional cruelty to persons.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of restraint
Noun
  • But genuinely funny moments are rare, badly outnumbered by done-to-death musings regarding the mysteries of being alive and torturous melodramatic moments in which Klara dully absorbs the severity of Josie’s illness and Chrissy’s sorrow.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Gassman emphasized that the severity of coastal flooding will depend largely on weather conditions.
    — Ted Scouten, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of severity

Browse Nearby Words

austereness
austerity
Australian ballot
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Cite this Entry

“Austerity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/austerity. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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