ASCETIC Synonyms: 104 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'ascetic' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of ascetic are austere , severe , and stern . While all these words mean "given to or marked by strict discipline and firm restraint," ascetic implies abstention from pleasure and comfort or self-indulgence as spiritual discipline. // the ascetic life of the monks

Q: When could 'austere' be used to replace 'ascetic'?

The words austere and ascetic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, austere stresses absence of warmth, color, or feeling and may apply to rigorous restraint, simplicity, or self-denial. // living an austere life in the country

Q: When is it sensible to use 'severe' instead of 'ascetic'?

The synonyms severe and ascetic are sometimes interchangeable, but severe implies standards enforced without indulgence or laxity and may suggest harshness. // severe military discipline

Q: Where would 'stern' be a reasonable alternative to 'ascetic'?

While in some cases nearly identical to ascetic , stern stresses inflexibility and inexorability of temper or character. // stern arbiters of public morality

ascetic 1 of 2

adjective

variants also ascetical

Definition of ascetic next

as in monastic

formal relating to or having a strict and simple way of living that avoids physical pleasure He committed to having an ascetic existence during his rehab. an ascetic diet of rice and beans

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ascetic

2 of 2

noun

as in prude

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective ascetic contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of ascetic are austere, severe, and stern. While all these words mean "given to or marked by strict discipline and firm restraint," ascetic implies abstention from pleasure and comfort or self-indulgence as spiritual discipline.

the ascetic life of the monks

When could austere be used to replace ascetic?

The words austere and ascetic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, austere stresses absence of warmth, color, or feeling and may apply to rigorous restraint, simplicity, or self-denial.

living an austere life in the country

When is it sensible to use severe instead of ascetic?

The synonyms severe and ascetic are sometimes interchangeable, but severe implies standards enforced without indulgence or laxity and may suggest harshness.

severe military discipline

Where would stern be a reasonable alternative to ascetic?

While in some cases nearly identical to ascetic, stern stresses inflexibility and inexorability of temper or character.

stern arbiters of public morality

Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of ascetic

Adjective

His personal life also provides plenty of fodder for the curious: Mondrian had a series of liaisons with women, and probably men as well, but lived alone in an ascetic studio. —

Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 23 Nov. 2024 In their propaganda videos, the men appeared as ascetic warriors, sitting on the ground in caves, studying in libraries, or taking refuge in remote camps. —

Audrey Kurth Cronin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Feb. 2015 In the 1490s, for instance, a group of Florentine nuns began to show signs of possession following the imposition of strict new rules with the rise of the charismatic ascetic Savonarola. —

Amelia Soth, JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2024 The level at the very top makes former communist leaders appear positively ascetic. —

Gregory Feifer, Foreign Affairs, 8 Aug. 2016 See all Example Sentences for ascetic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ascetic

Adjective

It was performed both preventatively and, in the case of some medieval religious communities, periodically as part of monastic bodily regulation and discipline.

— Megan Cassidy-Welch, CNN, 24 Jan. 2025
The luxurious estate was built in 1652 on what’s known as a monastic grange — a.k.a. acreage that once belonged to a monastery.

— Sezin Devi Koehler, EW.com, 16 Jan. 2025