asceticism

American  

[uh-set-uh-siz-uhm] / əˈsɛt əˌsɪz əm /

noun

1. the manner of life, practices, or principles of an ascetic.

2. the doctrine that a person can attain a high spiritual and moral state by practicing self-denial, self-mortification, and the like.

3. rigorous self-denial; extreme abstinence; austerity.

---

asceticism Cultural  

1. An austere, simple way of life in which persons renounce material pleasures and devote their energy to moral or religious purpose.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonasceticism noun

Etymology

Origin of asceticism

First recorded in 1640–50; ascetic + -ism

Example Sentences

There’s an asceticism to bespoke suit making that can be found in the religion as well.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 13, 2023

One such set of beliefs was Sufism, a strain of Islam that emphasized asceticism and meditation as the path to a level of divine understanding that brought a rapturous feeling of love for God.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

With its nouveau roman asceticism, Handke’s writing typically leaves me with a sense of being kept on the outside of something that is cold, severe and not obviously enjoyable.

From New York Times • Mar. 15, 2022

Attempting asceticism sets patients up for a phenomenon known as the abstinence violation effect, where a minor lapse turns into a huge binge, because people believe they've already blown their recovery anyway.

From Salon • Feb. 24, 2022

Although his income was small, he had no taste for luxury—his experience in the monastery had solidified his natural asceticism while it developed his preference for solitude.

From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison

Related Words

• divinity
• faith
• inviolability
• purity
• righteousness
• solemnity
• spirituality