to abstainverb/ɐbʃˈteɾ/mediumabs·terPortuguesEnglishEspanolFrancaisDefinitionTo voluntarily refrain from something; to refuse to participate or consume.He decided to abstain from voting because he disagreed with all options. The doctor recommended that he abstain from fats.synrefrainabstainwithholdEtymologyDo latim 'abstinēre'.Related wordsabstençãoabstinenteabstencionistaabstémio