to abstain

Examples

• All

• I am a registered voter but actively abstain from voting in most elections.

  Blog text (27)

• Twenty nations voted for the resolution, 7 abstained, and the United States was alone in opposing it.

  Academic text (1991)

• That he needs the Chinese to at least abstain on the Security Council.

  In the Loop (2009)

• I want you 11 men to vote by secret written ballot and I will abstain.

  12 Angry Men (1997)

• You are abstaining from the final vote?

  Bird on a Wire (1990)

• The Council voted in favor of the new government by 55-28 and three abstaining votes.

  Academic text (2002)

• APU delegates, for example, consistently abstain from voting to approve the previous session's minutes.

  Academic text (1990)

• Three senators abstained from voting, and nine skipped the vote.

  Academic text (2013)

• The Pakistani delegation abstained, as did the majority of Islamic countries.

  Academic text (2003)

• Voting won't make you a better person, and abstaining from voting won't make you a bad one.

  Blog text (28)

Synonyms

R

to refrain

vsto abstain

87 4.2

Choose not to do something you want to do

is choosing not to cast vote in formal decisions rather than avoiding actions

O

to opt out

vsto abstain

50 3.5

To choose not to take part in something

is deciding not to cast vote in formal decisions rather than leaving a system

Antonyms

P

to participate

866 2.5

To join in an activity with other people

How Involved

to campaign

344 3.9

to vote

∞ 1.0

to abstain

• Formal

16 5.6

to sit out

11 3.3

Surface Forms

Etymology