austerity
noun
aus·ter·i·ty
ȯ-ˈster-ə-tē 
-ˈste-rə-
also -ˈstir-ə-
plural austerities
1
: the quality or state of being austere: such as
a
: a stern and serious quality
the formal austerity of his manner
b
: a plain and simple quality
the austerity of the design
2
: enforced or extreme economy especially on a national scale
lived through years of austerity after the war
fiscal austerity
a series of austerity measures [=measures taken to reduce spending]
3
a
: an austere act, manner, or attitude
monastic self-denial and austerities
b
: an ascetic (see ascetic sense 1) practice
Examples of austerity in a Sentence
the austerity of the design
The austerity of their lifestyle was surprising.
They lived through years of austerity after the war.
the austerities practiced by monks
Recent Examples on the Web
The austerity gives her plenty of room to writhe, mug, and moan between occasional shots of an inflatable Martian and a tropical-looking Tiffany lamp.
—
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 14 Jan. 2026
As providers warn of layoffs and a system nearing collapse, the contrast between the agency's austerity measures and the state's multi-billion dollar surplus remains a central point of contention for advocates and legislators alike.
—CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Last year, the University of California and California State University put austerity measures in place after previous state budget and federal funding reductions.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
In an era of austerity when rich studio deals are harder to come by, Sony Pictures is betting big on Chris Bremner, as the studio has signed him to a writing and producing deal on the lot under his new company, Unknown Quantity.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for austerity
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Cite this Entry
“Austerity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/austerity. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Kids Definition
austerity
noun
aus·ter·i·ty
ȯ-ˈster-ət-ē
plural austerities
1
: the quality or state of being austere
2
: an austere act, manner, or attitude
3
: a way of living with few or no luxuries
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