austere
Americanadjective
-
severe in manner or appearance; uncompromising; strict; forbidding.
an austere teacher.
-
rigorously self-disciplined and severely moral; ascetic; abstinent.
the austere quality of life in the convent.
-
grave; sober; solemn; serious.
an austere manner.
-
without excess, luxury, or ease; simple; limited; severe.
an austere life.
- Antonyms:
- sybaritic, lush, comfortable, luxurious
-
severely simple; without ornament.
austere writing.
-
rough to the taste; sour or harsh in flavor.
adjective
-
stern or severe in attitude or manner
an austere schoolmaster
-
grave, sober, or serious
an austere expression
-
self-disciplined, abstemious, or ascetic
an austere life
-
severely simple or plain
an austere design
Usage
What does austere mean? Austere most commonly means extremely stern or strict or without any frills or luxuries. Things that are described as austere are serious, harsh, or severely simple. The word is especially used to describe a state of extreme self-discipline or minimalistic living, such as the austere conditions in a monastery. Think of a monk who lives in a bedroom with only a metal cot and eats plain rice every day—that’s an austere lifestyle. The noun form of austere is austerity—the state of being austere. Example: You can’t expect people to cope with such austere conditions—they need more than the bare necessities.
Related Words
Austere, bleak, spartan, stark all suggest lack of ornament or adornment and of a feeling of comfort or warmth. Austere usually implies a purposeful avoidance of luxury or ease: simple, stripped-down, austere surroundings. Bleak adds a sense of forbidding coldness, hopelessness, depression: a bleak, dreary, windswept plain. Spartan, somewhat more forceful than austere, implies stern discipline and rigorous, even harsh, avoidance of all that is not strictly functional: a life of Spartan simplicity. Stark shares with bleak a sense of grimness and desolation: the stark cliff face.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of austere
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin austērus, from Greek austērós “harsh, rough, bitter”
Explanation
The adjective austere is used to describe something or someone stern or without any decoration. You wouldn't want someone to describe you or your home as austere. Austere is not usually a positive word because it means that a person or a thing isn't pleasurable. For example, if you go on an austere diet, it's likely you wouldn't ever get to have candy. The adjective comes into English by way of French, Latin, and Greek, meaning "harsh" and "dry." It's pronounced as "ah-STEER," with an emphasis on the second syllable.
Vocabulary lists containing austere
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
ASVAB Word Knowledge
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
She expressed approval of the conditions - warm even in the sub-zero temperatures that Denmark was experiencing, but basic bordering on austere.
From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026
According to the location scouts, the success of such austere settings lies in their aesthetic, practical and economic value.
From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026
A traditional New England Republican who cut an almost austere figure on and off the bench, Souter joined the court in 1990.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025
“Mise en place,” French for everything in its place, sounds austere, but the practice itself is anything but.
From Salon • Dec. 20, 2025
The contrast of this laughing, luxuriant beauty with the clear-cut, austere grandeur all around arrests the attention sharply.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
