Abstinent vs Abstemious: Deciding Between Similar Terms

Are you confused about the difference between abstinent and abstemious? You’re not alone. These two words are often used interchangeably, but they actually have distinct meanings. In this article, we’ll explore the differences between the two words and help you understand when to use each one.

Abstinent and abstemious are both adjectives that describe someone who is self-restrained or avoids indulging in certain pleasures. However, there are some subtle differences between the two words.

Abstinent generally means refraining from a particular behavior or substance, often due to religious or moral reasons. For example, someone who is abstinent from alcohol does not drink it at all. Abstinent can also refer to someone who has given up a particular behavior or substance, such as smoking or gambling.

Abstemious, on the other hand, refers to someone who shows restraint in their consumption of food or drink. An abstemious person may still indulge in these pleasures, but they do so in moderation. They may choose to eat a salad instead of a burger or limit themselves to one glass of wine instead of several.

Now that we’ve clarified the difference between these two words, let’s dive deeper into each one and explore their meanings, origins, and usage in more detail.

Abstinent

Abstinent is an adjective that refers to the act of refraining from indulging in something, typically alcohol or sex. It is often associated with self-control and willpower. The term is derived from the Latin word ‘abstinere’, which means to hold back or refrain from.

Abstemious

Abstemious is an adjective that describes a person who exercises self-restraint, particularly in regards to food and drink. It is often associated with moderation and discipline. The term is derived from the Latin word ‘abstemius’, which means self-restraining.

While the terms abstinent and abstemious may seem similar, they have distinct meanings and are used in different contexts. Abstinent is typically used to describe someone who has given up a particular habit or addiction, while abstemious is used to describe someone who practices moderation in all aspects of life.

Here is a table that summarizes the differences between the two terms:

Term	Meaning	Usage
Abstinent	Refraining from indulging in something	Typically used in relation to addiction or habit
Abstemious	Exercising self-restraint, particularly in regards to food and drink	Used to describe a person’s overall lifestyle and habits

How To Properly Use The Words In A Sentence

Understanding the difference between similar words can be challenging, especially when it comes to their usage in a sentence. In this section, we will discuss how to properly use the words abstinent and abstemious in a sentence.

How To Use Abstinent In A Sentence

The word abstinent is an adjective that describes a person who voluntarily refrains from indulging in certain pleasures or desires, particularly those related to alcohol or other substances. Here are some examples of how to use abstinent in a sentence:

• After struggling with alcohol addiction for years, John decided to become abstinent.
• Although the party was in full swing, Sarah remained abstinent, choosing to drink water instead.
• As a devout Catholic, Maria practiced abstinent behavior during Lent.

As you can see from these examples, abstinent is often used in the context of addiction recovery, religious observance, or simply choosing to abstain from something for personal reasons.

How To Use Abstemious In A Sentence

The word abstemious is also an adjective, but it has a slightly different meaning than abstinent. Abstemious describes a person who is moderate or self-restrained, particularly when it comes to food or drink. Here are some examples of how to use abstemious in a sentence:

• Despite being a food critic, Mark is surprisingly abstemious when it comes to his own eating habits.
• As a professional athlete, Maria maintains an abstemious diet to stay in peak physical condition.
• Although he enjoys a good glass of wine, David is generally abstemious when it comes to alcohol consumption.

As you can see, abstemious is often used to describe someone who practices moderation or self-discipline when it comes to food or drink. It is important not to confuse this word with abstinent, which specifically refers to refraining from indulging in certain pleasures or desires.

More Examples Of Abstinent & Abstemious Used In Sentences

In this section, we will provide you with more examples of how to use the words abstinent and abstemious in sentences. These examples will help you to better understand the meanings of these two words and how to use them in context.

Examples Of Using Abstinent In A Sentence

• After becoming addicted to drugs, he decided to become abstinent.
• She remained abstinent from alcohol for the entire month of January.
• The monk lived an abstinent life, free from worldly pleasures.
• He had to be abstinent from all food and drink for 24 hours before the surgery.
• The religious sect promotes an abstinent lifestyle for its members.
• She chose to remain abstinent until marriage.
• He was proud of his abstinent lifestyle and the discipline it required.
• The doctor advised him to be abstinent from sexual activity until his infection cleared up.
• She struggled to remain abstinent from smoking, but eventually succeeded.
• He decided to become abstinent from social media for a month to focus on his mental health.

Examples Of Using Abstemious In A Sentence

• The chef was known for his abstemious use of salt and spices.
• She maintained an abstemious diet, consisting mostly of fruits and vegetables.
• He lived an abstemious lifestyle, never indulging in excess or extravagance.
• The artist’s abstemious approach to color and form created a unique and minimalist style.
• She was praised for her abstemious spending habits and financial discipline.
• The athlete maintained an abstemious lifestyle, avoiding alcohol and junk food.
• He admired the abstemious lifestyle of the monks, who lived in simplicity and poverty.
• The politician’s abstemious behavior and honesty earned him the respect of his constituents.
• She chose an abstemious lifestyle to improve her health and well-being.
• He was known for his abstemious nature, never indulging in vices or excesses.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

When it comes to using words like abstinent and abstemious, it’s easy to get them confused. However, there are distinct differences between the two that should be understood to avoid common mistakes.

Using Abstemious When You Mean Abstinent

One common mistake is using abstemious when you really mean abstinent. Abstemious means moderate or self-restraining, particularly when it comes to food or drink. Abstinent, on the other hand, means refraining from indulging in something altogether. For example:

• Incorrect: I’m being abstemious and not having any dessert tonight.
• Correct: I’m being abstinent and not having any dessert tonight.

By using abstemious in this context, you are actually saying that you are still indulging in some dessert, but only a moderate amount. To avoid this mistake, make sure you understand the definitions of both words and use them appropriately.

Using Abstinent To Describe Food Or Drink

Another common mistake is using abstinent to describe food or drink. Abstinent is used to describe a person who is refraining from indulging in something, not the thing itself. For example:

• Incorrect: This dish is abstinent of any spices.
• Correct: This dish is free of any spices.

To avoid this mistake, use words like free, lacking, or devoid to describe the absence of something in food or drink.

Tips To Avoid Confusing Abstinent And Abstemious

Now that you understand the differences between abstinent and abstemious, here are some tips to avoid confusing the two:

• Remember that abstemious describes moderation, while abstinent describes complete abstinence.
• If you’re describing the absence of something in food or drink, use words like free, lacking, or devoid instead of abstinent.
• Double-check your usage of these words to ensure you’re using the correct one in context.

Context Matters

Choosing between the words abstinent and abstemious can depend on the context in which they are used. Although both words are related to self-restraint, they have different connotations and are used in different situations.

Abstinent

The word abstinent is often used in the context of avoiding or giving up something entirely. It is commonly associated with abstinence from alcohol or other vices. For example, someone who is abstinent from alcohol has chosen not to drink it at all. Abstinent is also used in the context of sexual abstinence, where someone chooses not to engage in sexual activity.

Abstinent can also be used in a broader sense to refer to someone who avoids or refrains from something. For instance, a vegan might be considered abstinent from meat and dairy products.

Abstemious

The word abstemious, on the other hand, is used in the context of moderation or self-restraint in consumption. It is often used to describe someone who eats or drinks in moderation. For example, someone who is abstemious with their diet might avoid overeating or indulging in unhealthy foods.

Abstemious can also be used in the context of spending or lifestyle habits. Someone who is abstemious with their money might avoid overspending or making impulsive purchases.

Examples Of Different Contexts

Here are some examples of different contexts in which the choice between abstinent and abstemious might change:

Context	Choice between abstinent and abstemious
Alcohol consumption	Abstinent (avoiding alcohol entirely) or abstemious (drinking in moderation)
Diet and nutrition	Abstinent (avoiding certain foods entirely) or abstemious (eating in moderation)
Spending habits	Abstinent (avoiding unnecessary purchases entirely) or abstemious (spending in moderation)
Sexual activity	Abstinent (abstaining from sexual activity entirely) or abstemious (engaging in sexual activity in moderation)

Overall, the choice between abstinent and abstemious depends on the specific context in which they are used. Understanding the nuances of these words can help you use them more effectively in your writing and communication.

Exceptions To The Rules

While the rules for using abstinent and abstemious are generally straightforward, there are certain exceptions where they might not apply. In these cases, it is important to understand the context in which the words are being used in order to determine the appropriate choice.

Exceptions For Abstinent

One exception to the rule for using abstinent is when it is used to describe a person who has never engaged in a particular behavior. For example, someone who has never consumed alcohol could be described as abstinent, even if they have not made a conscious decision to abstain.

Another exception is when abstinent is used to describe a period of time during which a person has refrained from a particular behavior. For example, someone who has not consumed alcohol for a year could be described as abstinent for that period of time.

Exceptions For Abstemious

One exception to the rule for using abstemious is when it is used to describe a person who is moderate in their consumption of food or drink, rather than completely abstaining. For example, someone who eats a healthy and balanced diet, but occasionally indulges in a dessert, could be described as abstemious.

Another exception is when abstemious is used to describe a person who is careful and deliberate in their actions, rather than simply moderate in their consumption. For example, someone who carefully considers their spending habits and avoids frivolous purchases could be described as abstemious in their financial decisions.

Exceptions to the Rules for Abstinent and Abstemious

Word	Exception	Example
Abstinent	Describing someone who has never engaged in a behavior	She has always been abstinent when it comes to drugs.
Abstinent	Describing a period of time during which a person has refrained from a behavior	He has been abstinent from alcohol for six months.
Abstemious	Describing a person who is moderate in their consumption, rather than completely abstaining	She is abstemious in her diet, but allows herself a treat every now and then.
Abstemious	Describing a person who is careful and deliberate in their actions	He is abstemious in his spending habits, always considering the long-term impact of his purchases.

Practice Exercises

To improve the understanding and usage of abstinent and abstemious, practice exercises are an effective way to test your knowledge. Try the following exercises and check your answers against the explanations given below.

Exercise 1:

Choose the correct word to complete the sentence.

Sentence	Option A	Option B
After a night of drinking, John decided to be __________ and not have any more alcohol.	abstemious	abstinent
She was __________ in her diet, avoiding all processed foods and sugary drinks.	abstinent	abstemious
Answer:	Option B	Option A

Exercise 2:

Fill in the blank with the correct word.

1. She has been __________ from smoking for five years.
2. He is known for his __________ eating habits.
3. The monk lived an __________ life, avoiding all worldly pleasures.
4. Answer:
5. abstinent
6. abstemious
7. abstinent

Explanation:

1. Abstinent means refraining from indulging in something, in this case, smoking.
2. Abstemious means moderate or self-restrained, in this case, referring to eating habits.
3. Abstinent means refraining from indulging in something, in this case, worldly pleasures.

Conclusion

After exploring the differences between abstinent and abstemious, it’s clear that these two words have distinct meanings and shouldn’t be used interchangeably. Abstinent refers to completely refraining from indulging in something, while abstemious refers to moderate or temperate consumption.

It’s important for writers to have a strong grasp of language use and grammar in order to effectively convey their message. By understanding the nuances between similar words, like abstinent and abstemious, writers can choose the most precise and appropriate language to communicate their ideas.

Continuing to learn about language use and grammar is essential for anyone who wants to improve their writing skills. Whether it’s through reading, taking courses, or practicing writing, there are many resources available to help writers hone their craft.