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

So austerity hawks who want to use inflation as a cudgel with which to beat the economic left need to be shut down as quickly as possible.

From Slate

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

With £1.5bn in extra spending for the Scottish government this year and an extra £3.4bn in the year leading up to the Holyrood election, the SNP could hardly attack the budget as continuing austerity.

From BBC

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

From BBC

Related Words

• prudence
• self-discipline