ABSTINENT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does abstinent mean? 

• ABSTINENT (noun)
  The noun ABSTINENT has 1 sense:

1. a person who refrains from drinking intoxicating beverages

  Familiarity information: ABSTINENT used as a noun is very rare.

• ABSTINENT (adjective)
  The adjective ABSTINENT has 1 sense:

1. self-restraining; not indulging an appetite especially for food or drink

  Familiarity information: ABSTINENT used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ABSTINENT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person who refrains from drinking intoxicating beverages

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

abstainer; abstinent; nondrinker

Hypernyms ("abstinent" is a kind of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "abstinent"):

teetotaler; teetotalist; teetotaller (a total abstainer)

Derivation:

abstain (choose not to consume)

abstinent (self-restraining; not indulging an appetite especially for food or drink)

• ABSTINENT (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Self-restraining; not indulging an appetite especially for food or drink

Synonyms:

abstentious; abstinent

Context example:

not totally abstinent but abstemious

Similar:

abstemious (sparing in consumption of especially food and drink)

Derivation:

abstain (choose not to consume)

abstinence (act or practice of refraining from indulging an appetite)

abstinence (the trait of abstaining (especially from alcohol))

abstinent (a person who refrains from drinking intoxicating beverages)

 Context examples 

In a human study of about 40 individuals undergoing treatment for AUD, the researchers found that blood aldosterone concentrations were higher in individuals who continued drinking during the 12-week period, compared with those who were abstinent during the same time frame.

(NIH findings link aldosterone with alcohol use disorder, National Institutes of Health)