Synonyms of austere
52 similar words · 54 opposite words
Another word for austere is simple. Other synonyms of austere are severe, plain, ascetic, bare and quiet. The opposite of austere is crude.
Synonyms and similar words for austere
adjectiveGrim or severe in manner or appearance.
- stern
- strict
- forbiddingAppearing to be threatening, unfriendly or potentially unpleasant.
- asceticCharacterized by rigorous self-denial or self-discipline; austere; abstinent; involving a withholding of physical...
- brutal
- callous
- cold
- insensate formal
- hardhanded
- cold-eyedThat looks coldly or dispassionately; having a fierce or aloof mein.
- cruel
- dour
- thick-skinned
- flint-heartedSynonym of hardhearted.
- frosty
- grim
- hard
- hard-boiled
- hardened
- hardheartedLacking in compassion; cold and pitiless.
- heartless
- harsh
- humorlessLacking humor or levity; serious; not funny, amusing, amused, or lighthearted.
- icy
- iron-heartedSynonym of hardhearted.
- insensitive
- marble-heartedEmotionally cold, cruel, and unfeeling.
- rigorous
- rockheartedSynonym of hardhearted.
- severeSober, plain in appearance, austere.
- stoneheartedSynonym of hardhearted.
- stony
- stonyheartedCruel, compassionless, discompassionate, as if having a heart made of stone.
- tough
- unsympatheticNot sympathetic; ill-disposed.
- unmoved
adjectiveLacking decoration; trivial; not extravagant or gaudy.
- simpleUncomplicated; lacking complexity; taken by itself, with nothing added.
- plainOrdinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation; unembellished.
- unadornedHaving no additional decoration or embellishment; plain and simple.
- unembellishedPlain, unadorned, or simple.
- bareHaving no decoration.
- chasteSynonym of austere, plain, unextravagant, particularly demure, sexually discreet.
- inornateNot ornate.
- modestIntending to avoid the encouraging of sexual attraction in others.
- quietNot showy; undemonstrative.
- spartanLacking in decoration and luxury.
- unextravagantNot extravagant.
- unornamentedNot ornamented; without ornament.
- undeckedUnadorned.
- ungarnishedNot garnished.
- untrimmedNot adorned with trimmings.
- unvarnishedNatural, unmodified, unembellished, not exaggerated.
Opposite of austere
adjectiveLacking decoration; trivial; not extravagant or gaudy.
- overwrought
- flamboyant
- extravagant
- gaudy
- flashy
- bedizened literaryDressed or ornamented in a gaudy, showy, or tasteless manner; ostentatious.
- blatant
- blingishCharacteristic of bling; showy; ostentatious.
- brash
- campyCharacterized by camp or kitsch, especially when deliberate or intentional.
- catchpenny
- chichiAffectedly trendy; chic and stylish in a pretentious way.
- chintzy
- corny
- crass
- crudeLacking concealing elements.
- flauntingThat flaunts; showy or gaudy.
- florid
- flossy
- froufrou
- garishOverly ostentatious; so colorful as to be in bad taste.
- gauche
- gay
- glaring
- gross
- gussied up
- hideous
- kitschOf art and decor: of questionable aesthetic value; excessively sentimental, overdone or vulgar.
- kitschyHaving the nature of kitsch: excessively sentimental, overdone or vulgar.
- loud
- meretricious
- naff
- obtrusive
- ostentatious
- pimped outFlashy, showy and adorned or customized extravagantly.
- pizazzyOf, characterized by, or exhibiting pizazz.
- pretentious
- ritzyElegant and luxurious.
- raffish
- schlocky
- showy
- snazzy
- splendiferousBeautiful, splendid.
- tacky
- tasteless
- tawdry
- tinselly
- too muchAmusing; entertaining.
- trinketyResembling or characteristic of a trinket; gaudy and worthless.
- unbecoming
- untastefulNot tasteful.
- vain
- whorishResembling or befitting a whore.
- zesty
Meaning of austere
- adjective Grim or severe in manner or appearance.
- adjective Lacking decoration; trivial; not extravagant or gaudy.
- adjective Adhering to the economic policy of austerity.
austere in other languages
Questions about synonyms of austere
- What is another word for austere?
- Austere has 52 synonyms on Word.ws, such as simple, severe, plain, ascetic, bare, quiet, modest and unadorned.
- What is the opposite of austere?
- The opposite of austere is crude. Other antonyms of austere are flaunting, kitsch, garish and campy.
- What does austere mean?
- Austere means grim or severe in manner or appearance.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: austere (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.
Last updated:
Cite this page: “Synonyms of austere.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/austere. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.