abstain
ab-STAYN
/əbˈsteɪn/
To restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something, especially by choice.
Implies a deliberate, often moral or health-related decision to avoid a specific action or substance.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'ab' (away) and 'tenere' (to hold). It literally means to hold yourself away from something, like keeping your hand back from a tempting dish.
Word relationships
- refrain: Refrain is often temporary or situational, while abstain often implies a long-term commitment or principle.
- forgo: Forgo means to go without something you would otherwise have; abstain is the act of holding yourself back.
- indulge: To allow oneself to enjoy a particular pleasure, the opposite of restraint.
Commonly confused with
- sustain: To sustain is to keep something going; to abstain is to keep yourself away from something.
Word family
- abstinence (noun): The practice of abstaining from something.
- abstention (noun): An instance of declining to vote.
Collocations
- abstain from
- abstain completely
- voluntarily abstain
Example sentences
- "Many people choose to abstain from meat for environmental reasons." Ethical dietary choice.
- "The committee member decided to abstain from voting due to a conflict of interest." Formal voting or decision making.
Memory hook
ABSTAIN sounds like 'Keep AWAY from the STAIN'—holding yourself back from something that might 'stain' your health or ethics. Hold yourself away.
When not to use
Don't use for simply 'forgetting' to do something; it must be a conscious choice.
Fun facts
- In the 19th century, 'abstain' was most commonly used in the 'Temperance Movement' regarding alcohol.
Related words
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