self-denial

[ self-di-nahy-uhl, self- ]

noun

1. the sacrifice of one's own desires; unselfishness.
2. an act or instance of restraining or curbing one's desires:

   To reduce, one has to practice self-denial at the dinner table.

self-denial

noun

1. the denial or sacrifice of one's own desires

Derived Forms

• ˌself-deˈnying, adjective
• ˌself-deˈnyingly, adverb

Other Words From

• self-de·nying adjective
• self-de·nying·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-denial¹

First recorded in 1635–45

Example Sentences

As Liz Charlotte Grant at the Revealer recently wrote, the book appeals to those "hungry for romance," turning that longing into an argument for self-denial.

From Salon

“That form of self-denial is something I’m just not doing,” he continued in a video on Instagram.

From Los Angeles Times

For some time now, media academics and commentators, such as myself, have noted western media cultures' hunger for stories of self-denial in pursuit of bodily perfection.

From Salon

"The road to net-zero is no longer one of stern, austere, self-denial," he said in his speech.

From BBC

Jefferson’s nearly Herculean powers of self-denial also helped keep the cause pure, at least in the privacy of his own mind.

From Literature