abstains
Declines to participate
Abstains is the third-person singular of abstain, meaning to deliberately refrain from something.
One abstains from alcohol, voting, or sexual activity.
The word implies conscious choice rather than mere absence: She abstains from meat for religious reasons.
In parliamentary procedure, to abstain is to neither support nor oppose a measure: Three members voted yes, two voted no, and one abstained.
Recurring verses or abstains
- withholdsRefuses to release
- declinesRefuses or diminishes
- foregoesDeliberately does without
- avoidsDeliberately stays away from
resists · renounces · eschews · forbears · desists · holds back · passes up · goes without
Avoiding all alcohol
- soberFree from intoxication
- dryFree from moisture
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- temperanceHabitual moderation in behavior
alcohol-free · twelve-step · AA · clean · rehab · willpower · relapse · wagon
Abstaining from sexual activity
- celibateAbstaining from sex
- purityUncontaminated quality
- virginityAbsence of carnal experience
- continenceControl over bodily functions
vow · monastic · clergy · priest · nun · ascetic · restraint · self-control
Deliberate food avoidance
- LentChristian fasting season
- RamadanNinth Islamic month
- veganAvoids all animal products
- vegetarianOne who abstains from flesh
kosher · halal · restriction · renunciation · self-denial · temperance · ascetic · pescatarian
Gift or current moment
- withholdRefuse to give
- neutralNot favoring any side
- uncommittedNot bound to anything
- passMove beyond or decline
decline · sit out · neither · undecided · recuse · no vote · blank ballot · fence-sitting
refrains
Recurring verses or abstains
avoids · resists · renounces · eschews · forbears · desists · holds back · passes up · goes without · denies
teetotal
Avoiding all alcohol
temperance · alcohol-free · twelve-step · AA · clean · rehab · willpower · relapse · wagon · pledge
chastity
Abstaining from sexual activity
continence · vow · monastic · clergy · priest · nun · ascetic · restraint · self-control · renunciation
fasting
Deliberate food avoidance
vegetarian · kosher · halal · restriction · renunciation · self-denial · temperance · ascetic · pescatarian · observance
present
Gift or current moment
- withholdRefuse to give
- neutralNot favoring any side
- uncommittedNot bound to anything
pass · decline · sit out · neither · undecided · recuse · no vote · blank ballot · fence-sitting · non-participation
abstainsparticipates
Takes an active role
engages · takes part · joins in · acts · partakes