AUSTERITY Definition & Meaning

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austerity

[aw-ster-i-tee]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural

austerities

austere quality; severity of manner, life, etc.; sternness.
Synonyms: , , ,
Antonyms:
Usually austerities. ascetic practices.
austerities of monastery life.
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

/ ɒˈ��ɛ��ɪ��ɪ /

noun

the state or quality of being austere
(often plural) an austere habit, practice, or act
1. reduced availability of luxuries and consumer goods, esp when brought about by government policy
2. ( as modifier )
  an austerity budget

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of austerity¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English austerite , from Anglo-French, Old French austerite , from Latin ��ܲ��ŧ��; austere, -ity

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Synonym Study

See hardship.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Or, as Paul Johnson, the outgoing director of the IFS puts it, "this will be one of the tightest spending reviews in modern times, outside of the austerity period of the early 2010s".

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Dyer’s father was traumatized by the austerity of growing up in England between two military cataclysms, and his daily satisfaction is bound in his ability to pinch pences.

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The government now is allergic to accusations that any cuts they make will be a return to austerity.

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Asked if his party's policy of austerity was a contributing factor, Jenrick said he believed in being "honest about the mistakes of the last Conservative government".

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Some of his colleagues are more critical of the OBR – one asked why Labour was tying its own hands by adhering to a body set up by an austerity Tory chancellor.

From

Related 51�Թ�s

prudence��
self-discipline��

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When To Use

What does��austerity mean?

Austerity means sternness, severity, or a state of extreme self-discipline or minimalistic living.Austerity is the noun form of the adjective austere, which most commonly means extremely stern or strict or without any frills or luxuries.The word is often used in the context of a national economy in which services and access to certain goods have been scaled back by the government during times of economic crisis. This sense is especially seen in the phrase austerity measures. The term is sometimes used in its plural form to refer to ascetic practices, like living in a monastery—think of a monk who lives in a bedroom with only a metal cot and eats plain rice every day.Example: The government has turned to austerity to help curb the rising debt.

austere Austerlitz

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