Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of abstain

8 similar words

Another word for abstain is forgo. Other synonyms of abstain are refrain and forbear.

Synonyms and similar words for abstain

verbMore synonyms

  • abjure
  • deny oneselfTo decline the gratification of appetites, desires, impulses, or needs; to practise self-denial.
  • forbearTo keep away from; to avoid; to abstain from.
  • forgoTo refrain from, to abstain from.
  • give up
  • refrainTo stop oneself from some action or interference; to abstain; to eschew.
  • relinquish
  • withhold

Meaning of abstain

  1. verb Keep or withhold oneself.
  2. verb Refrain from (something or doing something); keep from doing, especially an indulgence.
  3. verb To refrain from drinking alcohol.

Full definition of abstain

abstain in other languages

Questions about synonyms of abstain

What is another word for abstain?
Abstain has 8 synonyms on Word.ws, such as forgo, refrain and forbear.
What does abstain mean?
Abstain means keep or withhold oneself.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: abstain (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of abstain.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/abstain. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.