Austere
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ɒˈstɪə(ɹ)/ · Part of speech adjective
Quick meaning: Austere is an adjective meaning Grim or severe in manner or appearance.
Meaning
Grim or severe in manner or appearance.
More Meanings
- Lacking decoration; trivial; not extravagant or gaudy.
- Adhering to the economic policy of austerity.
- Harsh; astringent.
Example Sentences
The headmistress was an austere old woman.
The interior of the church was as austere as the parishioners were dour.
It is like a small plum, nearly globular in shape, black covered with a bluish bloom, and with a very austere taste.
So we come, at above street level, into the city, and to Canterbury East Station (9.8 miles). It is an austere, rather barn-like structure, with a high roof over the two platforms.
Word Forms
- austerer
- austerest
Synonyms for austere
Depending on context, synonyms include stern, strict, forbidding, ascetic, brutal, callous.
Antonyms for austere
Common opposites include overwrought, flamboyant, extravagant, gaudy, flashy, bedizened.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include stern, severe, stark, spartan, abstemious, nonindulgent.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.