abstention

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/æbˈstɛnʃən/US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(ab stenshən)


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
ab•sten•tion  (ab stenshən),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. an act or instance of abstaining.
  2. Governmentwithholding of a vote.
  • Late Latin abstentiōn- (stem of abstentiō), equivalent. to Latin abstent(us), past participle of abstinēre to abstain + -iōn- -ion
  • 1515–25
ab•stentious, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
abstention / əbˈstɛnʃən/
  1. a voluntary decision not to act; the act of refraining or abstaining
  2. the act of withholding one's vote
Etymology: 16th Century: from Late Latin abstentiōn-, from Latin abstinēre. See abstain
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
ab•sten•tion /æbˈstɛnʃən/USA pronunciation   n. 
  1. [uncountable] the practice or act of abstaining.

'abstention' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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