austerity

[ aw-ster-i-tee ]

noun

, plural aus·ter·i·ties.

1. austere quality; severity of manner, life, etc.; sternness.

   Synonyms: strictness, harshness, rigor, asceticism

   Antonyms: leniency

2. Usually austerities. ascetic practices:

   austerities of monastery life.

3. 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.

austerity

/ ɒˈstɛrɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being austere
2. often plural an austere habit, practice, or act
3. 1. reduced availability of luxuries and consumer goods, esp when brought about by government policy
   2. ( as modifier )

      an austerity budget

Word History and Origins

Origin of austerity¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English austerite , from Anglo-French, Old French austerite , from Latin austēritās; austere, -ity

Synonym Study

See hardship.

Example Sentences

Musk has admitted that his plans would inflict "hardship" on Americans; austerity measures in other countries have led to skyrocketing poverty rates and economic instability.

From Salon

She said the, now "unrecognisable", Labour Party's budget last week was a "missed opportunity" which resulted in "continued austerity, inequality, poverty, and hardship for millions of people".

From BBC

Think back a little further to the general election campaign and one of the SNP’s key attack lines was that a Labour government would deliver continued austerity.

From BBC

A line can be drawn under the years of austerity, at least until a longer term spending review.

From BBC

In a pre-budget speech the Prime Minister pledged to “rebuild” public services and “reject austerity”.

From BBC

Related Words

• prudence
• self-discipline

More About Austerity

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.

Where does austerity come from?

The first records of the word austerity in English come from around the late 1300s. It ultimately derives from the Greek austērós, meaning “harsh, rough, bitter.”

Austerity involves living in harsh, rough, and severely simple conditions. Sometimes, it’s on purpose. The austerities of life in a monastery are typically intended to help those who live there focus on the spiritual aspect of life without being distracted by anything that’s considered frivolous.

In many cases, though, austerity is not by choice. People forced to live in austerity must get along in the most minimalistic conditions, without any luxuries and often without some things that other people considered necessities. Austerity measures implemented by governments often involve cutting everything from the budget that’s not absolutely essential, leaving citizens to live in extremely austere conditions.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of austerity?

• austere (adjective)

What are some words that often get used in discussing austerity?

 

• economy
• measures
• strict
• severe
• minimalist
• self-discipline
• ascetic
• practices
• abstinence

How is austerity used in real life?

The word austerity is often used to refer to strict economic conditions.

Harvard's choice to do belt-tightening while sitting on a $41 billion endowment nicely shows how austerity is fundamentally a ritual performance meant to overwrite a moral narrative onto the set of priorities where money is more important than lives

— Tom Scocca (@tomscocca) April 15, 2020

Greece heads towards historic no vote against austerity measures http://t.co/dLyO74IQiV #Greece

— The Guardian (@guardian) July 5, 2015

Early Monday morning, Saudi Arabia announced a slew of austerity measures to cope with the fiscal impact of the coronavirus pandemic and oil price rout, tripling its value-added tax and cutting a cost-of-living allowance for government workers:https://t.co/HlMl39xCxF

— Vivian Nereim (@viviannereim) May 11, 2020

 

 

Try using austerity!

Which of the following words is MOST likely to be associated with austerity?

A. luxury
B. convenience
C. abundance
D. simplicity