austerity
Americannoun
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austere quality; severity of manner, life, etc.; sternness.
- Synonyms:
- rigor, asceticism, strictness, harshness
- Antonyms:
- leniency
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Usually austerities. ascetic practices.
austerities of monastery life.
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harsh economic policies, as increased taxes or decreased funding for social services, usually adopted in response to government debt or deficits (often used attributively): The legislature tried to reduce the budget deficit with austerity measures that raised the retirement age and cut pension benefits.
Economic growth slowed under austerity.
The legislature tried to reduce the budget deficit with austerity measures that raised the retirement age and cut pension benefits.
noun
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the state or quality of being austere
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(often plural) an austere habit, practice, or act
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reduced availability of luxuries and consumer goods, esp when brought about by government policy
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( as modifier )
an austerity budget
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Usage
What does austerity mean? Austerity means sternness, severity, or a state of extreme self-discipline or minimalistic living. Austerity is the noun form of the adjective austere, which most commonly means extremely stern or strict or without any frills or luxuries. The word is often used in the context of a national economy in which services and access to certain goods have been scaled back by the government during times of economic crisis. This sense is especially seen in the phrase austerity measures. The term is sometimes used in its plural form to refer to ascetic practices, like living in a monastery—think of a monk who lives in a bedroom with only a metal cot and eats plain rice every day. Example: The government has turned to austerity to help curb the rising debt.
Synonym Usage
See hardship.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of austerity
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English austerite , from Anglo-French, Old French austerite , from Latin austēritās; see austere, -ity
Explanation
If you've ever had a teacher who was particularly stern and strict, you might have (quietly) remarked on his austerity. When you're talking about the character of a person, austerity means "sternness and severity." Austerity's original meaning, taken from the Greek word austeros, was "bitter or harsh taste." While it's rarely used that way anymore, it's still a great description of the word's current meanings. As well as describing a personal quality of sternness, it also means "a simple, plain manner" and "an extreme frugality." So you could talk about the austerity of a very plainly decorated room or the austerity you're forced to live with ever since your parents stopped giving you a weekly allowance. If your lack of money had a taste, it might very well be "bitter or harsh."
Vocabulary lists containing austerity
A Midsummer Night's Dream
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30 GRE Words Beginning with "A"
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Grade 12, List 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Wakefield said too many services for young people had been "cut, cut, cut, cut over years of austerity", and that there needed to be "more youth clubs, more opportunities for sports, more opportunities for creativity".
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
At the time, U.K. residents had been subjected to government austerity following the financial crisis.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
James Kingett, from SRTRC, said the charity had also lost a significant number of local authority contracts after austerity measures saw many councils repurpose funding.
From BBC • May 26, 2026
Local 99 leader Arias dismissed the necessity of the three-year austerity plan.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
The conspicuous austerity of the announcement was matched by its calculated simplicity.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
