abstaining
Choosing to refrain
Abstaining is the act of holding back from doing something, especially by choice.
You might abstain from alcohol, from voting, or from sex.
The word often implies deliberate restraint: She's abstaining from sugar this month.
In formal votes, abstaining means neither supporting nor opposing a motion.
Ability to restrain impulses
- willpowerMental strength resisting impulse
- restraintControl over impulses
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
- self-disciplineRegulating one's own behavior
self-mastery · moderation · temperance · self-regulation · fortitude · determination · resolve · continence
Abstaining from sexual activity
- celibacyAbstaining from intimate relations
- continenceControl over bodily functions
- purityUncontaminated quality
- virginityAbsence of carnal experience
monasticism · vow · restraint · renunciation
Total sobriety as principle
- temperanceHabitual moderation in behavior
- sobrietyUnimpaired mental state
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- dryFree from moisture
sober · prohibition · twelve-step · detox · clean · rehab · moderation · pledge
Deliberate food avoidance
- lentGave to return
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- purificationRemoval of contaminants
devotion · observance · piety · spirituality · asceticism · renunciation · vigil · atonement
Not favoring any side
- undecidedNot having chosen
- nonparticipationRefusal to be involved
- withholdingKeeping from another
- recusalWithdrawal for bias concerns
self-control
Ability to restrain impulses
- willpowerMental strength resisting impulse
- restraintControl over impulses
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
self-discipline · self-mastery · moderation · temperance · self-regulation · fortitude · determination · resolve · continence · forbearance
chastity
Abstaining from sexual activity
- celibacyAbstaining from intimate relations
- continenceControl over bodily functions
- purityUncontaminated quality
virginity · monasticism · vow · restraint · renunciation
teetotalism
Total sobriety as principle
- temperanceHabitual moderation in behavior
- sobrietyUnimpaired mental state
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
dry · sober · prohibition · twelve-step · detox · clean · rehab · moderation · pledge · wagon
fasting
Deliberate food avoidance
purification · devotion · observance · piety · spirituality · asceticism · renunciation · vigil · atonement · vow
neutral
Not favoring any side
- undecidedNot having chosen
- nonparticipationRefusal to be involved
- withholdingKeeping from another
- abstinencesobriety, celibacy, chastity, teetotalism, fasting
- doing withoutfasting, rationing, skipping meals, going hungry, forgoing
- self-controlself-control, restraint, willpower, composure, moderation
- nonparticipationnonparticipation, noninvolvement, noninterference, nonintervention, opting out
- drinkingbooze, liquor, guzzling, gulping, chugging
- cutbackscutback, cutbacks, decrease, layoff, reduction
abstainingparticipating
Taking an active role
engaging · joining in · taking part · committing · diving in
abstinence, abstain, abstemious, abstinent, abstention, abstains, abstained, abstinences