abstaining

verb

present participle of abstain
as in refusing

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstaining
  1. refusing
  2. rejecting
  3. turning down
  4. hesitating
  5. delaying
  6. declining
Verb
  • Biscayne 21’s declaration — the document that establishes the condominium — required a unanimous vote to terminate the building’s condo association, a goal that seemed unlikely with a group of residents refusing to sell.
    — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Court records show Romo was cited for refusing to take a test for intoxication and first offense OWI.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of refusing
Verb
  • A lot of communities across the country are rejecting new data centers.
    — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The council then has the final say in approving — or rejecting — Lucas’ nomination.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of rejecting
Verb
  • Tucker entered last offseason as the consensus top free agent after turning down a qualifying offer from the Chicago Cubs.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • After all, the billionaire founder lived a whirlwind of a career, turning down lucrative job offers and weathering professional rejection before ultimately launching one of the world’s biggest biotech companies.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of turning down
Verb
  • Fertilizer is often bought months ahead of planting, so hesitating in the fall can mean less goes on the ground in the spring.
    — Jayash Paudel, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Cueto was known for hesitating while in his pitching motion, or wiggling on the mound.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of hesitating
Verb
  • Tariffs could also limit technology choices for Americans by delaying new product launches, including devices featuring the latest AI technologies.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In other words, retirees stand to benefit more from annual COLAs by delaying.
    — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of delaying
Verb
  • The Republican party has promised a return to the good ol’ days, with strong nuclear families at the crux and a fight against the declining birth rate.
    — Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Additionally, the drug supply is always changing, with the potency of fentanyl declining in recent years.
    — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of declining
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

abstain (from)
abstaining
abstaining (from)
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Cite this Entry

“Abstaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstaining. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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